


Ice-Blue Eyes

by miss_murder



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Long-Term Relationship(s), Romance, Transformation, Winter, double ending, time apart, year after year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:11:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_murder/pseuds/miss_murder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura lives for winter, waits all year long for it. One year, Winter starts living for her, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was early, too early for the sun to emit any light except for its first few rays of gray. Laura's job was to feed the animals early in the morning, check for eggs, milk the two cows, and get back inside before breakfast.

Laura finished her chores twice as fast as she usually did, coming inside with rosy cheeks and bright eyes. "I'm done, Mama!" she said to the woman at the stove. "Can I go skating on the pond, _please_?"

Her mama nodded, not even turning around, for she knew her daughter was already taking her skates off their peg, hanging at the ready by the back door. Laura smiled and tugged her red knit hat further down her head, over her wild brown waves.

She sat down on the back steps before tugging off her boots and lacing up the skates. Her ice skates were one of the few pretty things she treasured. She had lots of pretty things, but she would never, under any circumstances, part with her beloved ice skates. They were kept in immaculate condition: smooth white leather that hugged her feet like a second skin and crisp white laces, clean as fresh snow. The blades were polished and sharpened so they looked brand new. The skates were a birthday present from Laura's daddy.

Laura made her way to the pond just ten feet away from the house. Soon, the chill whipped her hair back and drove icy paths down her neck as she glided across the ice, already scarred from her visit the previous day. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting her heart soar.

\----

But there was an unknown visitor nearby. A patron, of sorts, although he preferred to call himself a Guardian. The personification of all that was winter: Jack Frost. In some ways, a man, hundreds of years old. But in others, still the teenager he seemed. But no matter how he acted, he felt lonely. An immortal was hard to be: never in the same place for long, always hiding, always alone. Jack sighed and waved his staff, causing another layer of frost to appear on the skeletal branches of an old tree.

That's when he heard it: the chiming of tiny bells. At least, that's what it sounded like. But he couldn't be sure. So he quickly ran towards where he thought the sound was coming from. It began to snow.

He stopped short and hid in a cluster of bare elms. Jack stared long at the fallen angel that glided across a small pond in front of him. Surely, that's what she had to be. How else could she be as beautiful?The way her glossy dark brown waves fell around her shoulders, and the twinkling of her merry green eyes. Then she laughed, and his cold breath caught in his throat. Her laugh... it was the bells he'd heard earlier. And it was more beautiful, to him, than the silent whisper of falling snow or the crackle of water as it freezes. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

As the snow continued to fall, it created a halo of white in the girl's hair and hat. She smiled and stuck out her tongue to taste the clean, pure flakes.

"I have to know her name," Jack muttered supposedly to himself. But the girl stopped skating and turned to look right at him.

\----

Laura knew she heard a voice. She scraped to a stop and peered at the trees. There was no movement or sound at all. Maybe she had imagined it?

Laura was about to investigate when her mama opened the door. "Laura Elaine, come inside and eat your breakfast before it gets cold!" said the woman, waving a wooden spoon.

"Coming, Mama!" Laura said, drifting across the ice with one last glance at the dark trees. She shrugged and tromped inside, hanging her skates on their peg. "Brr!" Laura exclaimed, shedding her dark green, wool coat and her hat, scarf, and gloves Mama made her last year. "It's so cold! Jack Frost must have a preference to Montana or something. It's usually not this cold so late in January."

Her mama shrugged. "Or maybe it's my Ice Princess being impatient again, so winter wants to stay this year." Laura chuckled and took a huge bite of toast smeared with warm honey.

Her mama called her Ice Princess because she loved the cold so much. She'd been called that since she was a little girl. "Daddy called me that," she said quietly. Mama stiffened, her back to Laura, and sighed. Laura suddenly regretted bringing it up. She knew that Mama still missed Daddy, even though two years had gone by. Two years since the accident.

Daddy had been a forest ranger and had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when a rock slide took his life. Leaving Laura and Mama alone. 

"Yes," her mama said finally. "He loved calling his little Ice Princess inside and brushing the snow from your hair." She smiled and sniffed. "Heaven help me, I miss that man."

"I know, Mama. I miss him, too." Laura stared down at her breakfast, suddenly not so hungry. "Mama... I'll clean up." It was all the condolence she could offer right now. Laura hated it when her mama cried. It made her feel so weak, not knowing what to do. 

Mama looked over her shoulder and smiled softly. "Thanks, baby." Pale light was now shining through the frosty glass, shining on the silver streak in Mama's dark hair. It was the first time she actually looked... old. 

Laura finished a few more bites as Mama went upstairs. She cleaned the dishes, dried them and put them away, wiped the counters and tables, and swept. Then she bundled up again and went out to the woodshed for firewood. The living room needed more for its pile. 

With her arms full of chopped logs, Laura was on her way back to the house when something moving caught her eye. She froze for a minute and stared hard at the spot, as if paralyzing any living being within her gaze. The snow crunched underneath her boots. 

Laura approached the old elm tree where she'd heard noises earlier that morning. "C-come out..." she told whatever was behind the tree. "I'm not gonna hurt you unless you hurt me." 

There. A snicker. It sounded human. But what person would be walking around on her family's property? Laura jumped around the tree, coming face-to-face with the last kind of person she was expecting.

A boy. Probably not much older than her own sixteen years. He didn't look so much scared as he did surprised. In fact, his altogether appearance made Laura drop her wood pile. He was unhealthily pale, dressed only in thin brown pants and a blue sweatshirt, the collar and shoulders covered in frost. He wasn't wearing shoes. The boy's eyes were literally ice blue, lighter blue than she'd ever seen, and his hair was stark white, like all the color had been scared out of it.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked, still a little awestruck. 

The boy looked even more surprised. "You can see me?" 

"Of course I can. Why wouldn't I?" 

He shook his head. "Never mind." But he muttered happily, "She can see me..." He looked back at her. "I'm not cold. I'm used to it." 

"But you have to be cold, at least a little. You aren't even wearing shoes!" 

He looked down at his feet and shrugged. "I'm... I'm a special breed. Immune to the cold." 

"Nonsense." Laura sighed and reached out to touch his cheek. It was cold as ice, but she could feel a human warmth underneath the chill. "Do you have a name?" 

The boy snorted. "Sure. Which one do you want?"

Laura pursed her lips. "No need to be sarcastic. What does your family call you?"

"Don't have any."

_An orphan living alone_ , she concluded sadly. "What's your first name then?" 

He hesitated for a moment, as if trying to remember. "Jack." 

She smiled. "That's nice. Like Jack Frost." 

Jack laughed hesitantly. "Yeah... like..."

Laura bent down to pick up her firewood. "Why don't you come inside with me? You can warm up by the fire, and my mama makes the best hot chocolate ever!" 

"Er... I don't think so." 

"But come on!" Laura tried to grab his hand, but he jerked it away. She dropped a few of her logs. "Please? I can't just leave you out here." 

Jack smirked and picked up the wood himself. "Let me help you." 

Laura grinned and started back to the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack studied the back of Laura's head as they walked. She was an interesting girl, even though he barely knew her. She didn't question when he said he didn't have a family, whereas most people would be concerned and calling foster agencies. She didn't scream or faint or run away when she saw him. She just treated him like any other boy she met out in the cold.

But he knew he couldn't stay around her for long. Not only were Guardians not supposed to interact more than necessary with humans, but if Jack wasn't careful, Pitch would find him and make his and Laura's lives miserable. He couldn't wish that on anybody.

He hesitated before crossing the threshold into Laura's home. Laura looked at him over her shoulder. "Come on in. It won't kill you."

"No, but something else might kill you," he muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Jack faltered again, but stepped inside and placed the slightly damp logs in their metal basket to await the next chilly night when they'd be burned.

Laura smiled. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack smirked and shrugged. "No problem." He waved and turned to leave, but Laura grabbed his arm. She tried to stifle a gasp when she touched his skin. It was like the time she went and jumped in the snow on a dare, dressed only in shorts and a tank top.

"Don't leave yet, please?" she begged. "I wanna ask you some things, and you can't leave without my mama's hot cocoa." At Jack's uncertainty, she grinned. "Best in all of Montana. And I promise not to bite, unless you want me to." Laura winked, completely enjoying herself. She didn't get many chances to flirt outside of school, but below-zero weather put a halt to that.

Jack actually smiled, a warm, friendly smile that made Laura happy. "Maybe, but... I'll pass on the cocoa." _The heat will make me really sick_ , he added in his mind.

Laura frowned but simply walked into the kitchen to make some for herself. Jack followed, leaning against the wall. A few minutes passed in silence. "What about those things you wanted to ask me?" he said, smirking.

Laura spooned cocoa powder into a pot of hot milk on the stove. "Okay... first: you were here this morning, weren't you? When I was skating?"

"Yes."

"Why have you been lurking around our property?"

Jack stiffened. "Er... I..." Laura crossed her arms and watched him helplessly flounder. She waited patiently for an answer. "I can't tell you," he finally sputtered.

"Really?" Laura's eyebrows rose in challenge. "Jack, sweetie, did you know my daddy taught me how to bring down a full-grown wolf with one shot of a rifle?" This wasn't _exactly_ true. She pointed to a gun leaning in the corner. "That's his rifle right there. Daddy also taught me how to use it to keep away trespassers." This _was_ true.

Jack bit his lip. He knew if he got shot... well, he didn't quite know what would happen. But it wouldn't be good. Laura smiled very prettily. "Now, mind telling me what you were doing on our land?"

"I... I was..." Jack sighed. "I slept in your barn last night. I didn't mean to intrude, but it was so warm." He was lying through his teeth, and he hoped Laura would believe him. "I'm sorry. I hoped to be gone before I was noticed."

Laura sighed and poured the thick, creamy hot chocolate into a mug. "Why didn't you just tell me that? I wouldn't have threatened you."

Jack chuckled, then it was silent again. Staring down into her mug, Laura looked at Jack from under her thick lashes. It was the first time she'd really studied his face. He was very handsome. His jaw was smooth and slightly pointed, and his eyes sparkled like sunlight on virgin snow. His hair now looked soft and smooth, like drifts of silk threads. Jack caught her looking and smiled, making Laura blush. She turned her gaze away, embarrassed.

Laura sat her barely-touched mug on the counter. "Jack, I have one more question for you." He nodded. "Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"Of cou-"

"I don't like being lied to, Jack." She looked right into his icy eyes. "Don't lie to me: Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Jack looked at his feet. "No."

"You can stay here, if you like." Jack's breath stopped. "We have an extra room. I know Mama won't mind." She snickered at his wide eyes. "And you don't have to worry about Daddy and his..." She mimicked shooting a rifle, sound effect and all.

"I..." Jack was about to refuse when he saw Laura's eyes. They shone with anticipation, looking like pale emeralds with flecks of gold and amber. She really wanted to help him. And with those eyes... he couldn't let her down. Jack smiled and ruffled her hair. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to sleep in the barn."

\----

That evening, Jack was outside again as Laura and her mama were making dinner. Laura had just explained what she'd promised Jack. She looked timidly up at her mama. "Well?" she said. "Can he stay?"

Mama put down her carrot and sighed. "Laura... how could you be so reckless?"

"Mama!"

"Bringing a boy you don't know into the house? He could've hurt you, or robbed us!"

"Mama, Jack won't hurt me or you."

Her mama traced the curve of Laura's cheek with smooth fingers. "Baby, how do you know?"

Laura stepped away and looked at Jack out the window, skating across her pond with bare feet. She relaxed a little... and realized Mama was right. It was reckless and impulsive. "He still doesn't have anywhere else to go," Laura stated. She looked up at her mama with pleading eyes. "Please, Mama, let him stay! He doesn't have anywhere else. Mama, one week, that's all I need. Just give me one week, and I can prove that Jack isn't dangerous!"

She was still unconvinced. "I don't know..."

"He'll be my responsibility!" For a moment, he sounded more like a pet than a boy. "He told me he wants to stay out in the barn. I'll bring him blankets and food, and you won't have to worry about anything." Laura put her had on her mama's arm. "Please, Mama, let him stay. He doesn't have any family, and I... I think he's been on his own for a long time. From what I can tell, he could use a friend. And I want to be that friend."

Again, her mama sighed and looked down at her face. She smiled. "I would still argue, but I've seen those eyes before, right on your daddy. Those eyes aren't going to give up." Her light resignation was a kiss on Laura's forehead.

\----

"I brought you some dinner," Laura said later that night, climbing the ladder to the hayloft with one hand. In her other hand was a plate balanced with a bowl of beef stew, a spoon, and a slice of homemade cornbread with butter.

Jack looked down at her from the stack of hay bales he was lying on. He smiled. "Uh... thanks. Really." He jumped down and sat cross-legged across from Laura. Jack blew on the stew, knowing it would make it cold enough for him to eat.

Laura watched him devour it, bemused. "When was the last time you ate?" she giggled. "You eat like a wolf."

Jack laughed and wiped his mouth. "I dunno. I don't like keeping track of when I eat and when I don't. Bums me out."

 _Another lie_ , he thought. _She hates being lied to, and I hate lying to her. But I can't let her know who I really am_. "I heard you and your mom talking. Really, I can leave if it's best."

Laura blushed. She didn't want Jack to leave. "Oh, that's just Mama being Mama. She's wary of strangers, 'cause she thinks a person might have caused the rock slide."

"What rock slide?" asked Jack as he bit into the bread.

Laura looked at her hands. "Oh... there was a rock slide in the forest abut two years ago. It... it killed my daddy. Mama's still upset. She misses him. We both do." Laura brought her knees up to her chest, fighting back the urge to cry.

Jack was quiet. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's alright."

More silence. Laura took off her coat. "I see why you wanted to stay out here," she said, changing the subject. "The animals keep it nice and warm."

Jack smiled, but he didn't say anything. He was too busy staring at Laura. She was beautiful. Her crimson sweater followed every curve she had, giving her a slight waist that Jack would love to wrap his arms around. She had long legs, clad in dark blue skinny jeans, and tall brown boots with beige fur trim. A small lantern sent streaks of copper and gold curling through her hair, so dark it was almost black.

Laura leaned back on her hands and smiled. "What are you looking at?"

Jack turned away, caught. "Er... nothing."

"Was it something you like?"

"What?"

"What you were looking at... was it something you like?" The girl was fishing for compliments, but Jack decided to humor her.

"Yes. Something I like very much. Something beautiful and kind..." Jack took her cheek and pressed his cold lips to it. "Thank you for letting me stay, Laura. You won't regret it."

Laura blushed and gathered the empty dishes. "N-no problem... Good night, Jack."

"Good night. Sweet dreams."

Laura smiled and climbed down the ladder. Little did Jack know, but his kiss would protect Laura in ways neither of them could imagine. It would protect her from Pitch and the nightmares he had in store for her It would keep her safe... for now. Both of them fell asleep with warmth in their hearts.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Laura awoke with a start early in the morning while it was still dark. She quickly dressed and ran out to the barn. Not only for her chores, but Laura was nervous that she would find that everything that happened yesterday had been a dream.

The early morning was still and dark, just adding to the growing suspense in her heart. The only source of any light was the moon, glowing like a pearl in the inky black sky. Laura pushed open the heavy door and was engulfed by the familiar scents of her animals and the warmth they emitted.

As quietly as she could, Laura climbed the rickety ladder into the hayloft. She held her breath, preparing for what she would see.

The loft was empty.

Laura's heart fell as she craned her neck for a splash of white or blue in the midst of darkness. She looked behind all the bales, in every nook and cranny, trying to find Jack in vain. The boy was nowhere to be found. "I knew it was too good to be true," she whispered, bewildered.

As she turned around to climb down, a sudden flash of chill shocked her. She jumped, not knowing quite where it came from. Of course Jack was in the only place she didn't look: curled up in the corner by the opening to the ladder, fast asleep behind a few bales of hay.

Laura smiled. Maybe it was better than it seemed. Because it was real.

Laura slipped down the ladder again and began her chores, moving as silent as the wind across a desert so she wouldn't wake Jack. He deserved to sleep as long as he wished.

It wasn't until one of the cows mooed a complaint when Laura pulled on her udder wrong did she hear any sign of movement in the loft. She frowned. "Oh, now you've done it," she chastised the bovine. "I wanted to let him sleep at least until the sun came up."

"Are you _really_ talking to a cow?" Jack said, poking his head underneath the loft's railing and smiling softly down at her. He rubbed his eyes sleepily.

Laura smirked and lifted her chin to look at him. "No, I'm giving one a hard time for waking you up so early." Jack grinned and climbed down. "You can go back to sleep if you want. Reed is pretty quiet in the mornings. I just milked her wrong."

"Reed? Is that her name?" Jack petted the cow and scratched her ear. She lowed softly.

"Yeah, and she likes you." Laura smiled and looked around the barn. "All of my animals have names."

Jack smiled. "Let me help you with your chores. Then, might you tell me their names?"

Laura smiled. "A real gentleman," she mused, "helping a girl you barely know with her chores."

Jack grinned. "We don't know much about each other; it's not just one sided." He picked up a brush and started running it across one of the horses, a hearty Clydesdale. "I propose a game. I call it Ask and Answer. When I ask a question, you answer it. Then you ask one and I'll answer."

Laura giggled and put the bucket of milk by the door, not even bothering to ask how he knew so much about taking care of horses. _Maybe he had horses before... before he was alone,_ she thought. "Any rules, oh Master of Games?"

Jack chuckled. "Only one: you have to promise to tell the truth. I will be completely honest with you if you will be with me."

Laura peered at him. His eyes, those cold, beautiful eyes, sparkled with a truth she hadn't seen before. It made her wonder... had he been this honest with her yesterday?

"Alright, but you already asked me a question, the one about my animals." She smiled softly. She loved her animals like sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.

"The cows are Reed and Ellie. One of my cousins calls them the Old Ladies, because they sometimes sound like two old women having a conversation. The horse you're brushing is Trooper; he's our work horse." Laura pointed to the second horse: a sleek female with a tawny coat and a white stripe running down her cheek. "This is Piglet. She's my riding horse and pretty much my best friend." Laura hugged the horse's neck and nuzzled her coat. "She's my baby girl. I've raised her since we were both little girls." She jutted her chin towards the third horse. "That one's Dylan. He's Mama's." She pointed towards where the chicken coop was nestled along the back wall of the barn. "We have six chickens: five hens and a rooster. We call the rooster Russia, 'cause he's so big and arrogant. The hens are Tweedy, Freedom, Knight, Alice, and Chihiro."

"Chihiro?"

Laura blushed. "After a character in one of my favorite movies."

Jack smiled and tweaked her nose. "No need to blush, it's alright. Now, your turn to ask a question."

She had one ready to go. "Everything that you told me yesterday... were you telling me the truth?"

That was the one question that he hoped she wouldn't ask. He looked over at Laura, who had stopped running the brush across Piglet's hide to look straight at him, no nonsense in her eyes, mouth set in a grim line. Jack sighed. "I...Laura, I..."

"I've already told you I don't like being lied to." Laura set down the brush and walked around Piglet and Trooper to stand right in front of Jack. "Jack, I trust you. Probably more than I should at this point, but right now... you're giving me reason not to." She put her hand on his cheek. Almost instantly, she jerked it back again and sucked in a sharp breath. "You're always so cold... like sticking my hand in a drift of snow."

The sun had started to rise. Slight, pale light made Jack's skin seem to glow with pearlescent light. He looked ethereal. "No," he finally muttered. "I wasn't completely honest with you. But some of the things I said were true!"

He took Laura's hand, and yet again, she noticed that his fingers were like slender bricks of ice. This time, though, she didn't pull away.

"Your turn," she whispered.

"Do you want me here?"

The question caught her off guard. "Er... of course. I couldn't just leave you-"

"That's not what I meant." Laura looked up into Jack's eyes. The color and intensity hadn't changed, but now his gaze was... warm. Caring. "Do you want me to stay here, Laura? With you?"

Laura could barely comprehend. "I... I-I..." She blushed and broke their locked gaze. "I don't want you to go anywhere else."

Jack released her hand and picked up the comb for Trooper's mane. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

"Lots."

 _How could he be so... calm after that? Had I moved an inch, we would have been kissing!_ Laura retraced her steps and picked up the same kind of comb for Piglet. "Let's start with what you didn't lie to me about yesterday."

Jack bit his lip. "Everything I said about you is true, all about how you were so kind and beautiful... And it's true that I don't have any family or anywhere else to go. My name really is Jack, if that even counts."

"Is that it?"

"Yes." Jack felt so horrible that he'd lied to her about so much.

Laura grabbed the tin bucket of chicken feed and went deeper into the barn with an annoyed swish of her hair. Jack finished with Trooper and began to approach Dylan.

The muscular palomino's eyes grew wide and he became uneasy, picking up his feet and tossing his head, nickering nervously. Jack held up his hands and tried to calm the horse, but it only made him more agitated. The horse reared back and neighed, knocking Jack flat on his back.

At that precise moment, Laura came back around the corner from feeding the chickens. She saw the frantic horse and dropped the bucket. "Jack!" she cried, running for her friend. She tried to reign in Dylan, but he reared again and hit Laura's stomach with his hoof. She soundlessly cried out and fell to the ground, doubled over in pain. 

Jack's entire world stopped for a moment as he watched Laura fall, like God had pressed slow-motion on some universal remote. The expression of pain and what-just-happened on Laura's face could have been a knife to Jack's heart. He barely registered the sound when she hit the cold, hard ground. It took a few moments for him to come to his wits and realize she was hurt. 

"Laura!" Jack yelled, quickly gathering her in his arms and carrying her out of harm's way. 

Once Jack had moved across the barn, Dylan calmed down and continued to eat his oats like nothing was wrong. It was obvious that the horse mistrusted Jack, detecting a hint of something otherworldly about him. Something that wasn't quite right. 

Jack laid Laura across a pile of fresh hay. Her face was contorted in pain and she was having trouble breathing. She coughed, and a little bit of blood came from her mouth, turning her lips scarlet. Jack brushed a piece of hair off her forehead. 

_Waiting for a doctor will just cause her more pain, plus it would give her mom further reason not to trust me,_ he thought quickly. _I have to heal her._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course Pitch has to come along and screw things up.

_I have to heal her._

Jack took a deep breath and grabbed his staff from the loft. This one act could expose his secret, but he knew he had to do it. Jack undid Laura’s coat and put one hand over her rapidly rising and falling stomach.

“I’m gonna make it go away,” he whispered to her. “It’s gonna be alright.” His other hand tightly gripped the wooden staff as he focused all of his energy into Laura’s body.

Slowly, Laura stopped shaking and the expression on her face became tranquil. When she opened her eyes, Jack lifted his hand from her and leaned his staff against the wall.

“Jack…” she mumbled, sitting up and combing straw out of her hair. “What did you just do?”

“Only what I had to.” He helped her stand up and brushed more straw from her back. He wasn’t going to lie to her anymore.

“Dylan kicked me…” she said, then snapped her head around and glared at Jack. “Why didn’t you move in time?! He could have killed you!”

“No, he couldn’t. Nothing will ever kill me.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “What are you talking about? Of course-”

“Laura, I’m serious. You don’t like being lied to? Well, I’m not lying!” He took Laura’s hand and pressed it against his cheek. “Don’t you wonder why my skin is so cold? Or how I healed you like I did?” He released her hand and took a few steps back, turning his back to her. “I’m not like you, Laura. I’m not… human.”

Laura was still, silent. “What are you, then?”

Jack paused. She was calm. Not screaming or running away or chasing him out until he was never seen again. She was calm.

He shrugged. “Immortal. A personification, a deity, a god, although I prefer Guardian myself.” He turned back and bowed playfully, although neither of them was playing. “Jack Frost, pleased to meet you.”

Again, Laura did nothing. She wasn’t quite sure what to do. She just stared at him, scrutinizing under her peridot-colored gaze. “Prove it,” she said quietly.

 _Prove it._ Out of all the things Laura could have said or done, she wanted him to prove it. The notion was so ridiculous, so simple, it made Jack smirk. He walked over to the bucket of milk waiting patiently by the door. With one flick of his long, gnarled staff, the entire bucket became frozen solid. He tapped it with his fingers to prove it. Another flick and the milk was liquid again.

Laura’s silence was beginning to become unnerving. She’d become flushed and looked at her feet. “I won’t tell anyone,” she said quietly. “I promise.”

“I trust you. But I need you to trust me.” Jack walked back to Laura and traced her cheek with his frosty fingers. “I don’t want this to change anything between us. If… there’s anything at all.”

Again, more silence. “I want there to be,” Laura muttered, eyes lowered and cheeks redder than poinsettias. From cold or blush, though, Jack couldn’t tell.

Jack pulled the girl closer. She didn’t pull away. Rather, she closed her eyes. He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. “Let’s wait and see… if this is what we really want,” he said softly.

Laura frowned and opened her eyes again. The frown soon dissipated, for she knew he was right. It’s what she wanted. “Okay,” she agreed, untangling herself from him and picking up the bucket of milk.

“I better get inside. Mama’s nearly got breakfast ready.” She smiled coyly over her shoulder. “I can bring you some, if you want.”

Jack grinned. “That would be wonderful, thank you.” Laura grinned as well and tromped through the snow to the house.

\----

Three days had passed since their conversation in the barn. Laura and her mother had gone into town for a while, and Jack was sitting in the snow, absently drawing in the white powder with his finger. The smile hadn’t left his lips since three days previous, and it wasn’t in threat of leaving.

 _She’s giving me a chance_ , he thought happily. _I can’t blow this. It’s my only chance_. Jack looked down at what he’d just drawn. A large heart with “J+L” written inside. He smiled again and continued to trace more swirls and squiggles on his blank white canvas.

“You look happily oblivious,” said a dark, menacing voice from behind him.

Jack scrambled to his feet, scuffing out the heart. His eyes narrowed. “Pitch,” he spat. “What are you and your ugly mug doing here?”

The villain laughed. “Pure entertainment, my friend. Winter can become quite boring, so I decided to follow little Mr. Winter himself.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed further, and his fingers tightened around his staff. “I’m not doing anything interesting. Leave, now!”

“Not going to happen. I know something is up. You’re sitting here, grinning like a moron. You’re waiting for someone, aren’t you, Jackie?”

Pitch smirked devilishly, and Jack’s face involuntarily turned red. “I am not.” 

“ A girl, right?”

“Shut _up_ , Pitch!”

“Aww, little Jackie’s in love!” he sang like some twisted schoolgirl.

Jack growled and jumped in the air, wanting to kick Pitch in the face. But he’d disappeared. “Come out, Pitch!” he screamed to the trees. “Quit hiding like a scared little worm!”

“I’m still here,” came his villainous voice, like the air itself was speaking. “I’ll always be here, Jack Frost. Waiting… watching from the shadows.” 

Jack swiped at the snow, at the shadows, sending up a flurry of virgin white powder. He angrily hit the tree by where Pitch had appeared, almost snapping the poor thing in half. 

“Jack, what are you doing?!” Laura cried in disbelief, running out of the house and grabbing his wrists. 

He whipped around, eyes ablaze. When Jack realized who it was, he calmed down, his gaze softening and cooling. “L-Laura… when did you get home?” he stammered, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

“About five minutes ago, and I come out to find you raving like a lunatic!” Laura put her hands on her slim hips. “What in the world were you doing?” she asked sternly.

“Er…” Jack scratched his head sheepishly. “It’s kind of hard to explain…” Laura crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and raised one eyebrow. She was silently demanding an explanation. Jack sighed. “Pitch.” 

“Pitch?” 

“He… he controls nightmares. He’s the Boogeyman. He can send nightmares into the minds of humans and cause them to lose all the attributes that we Guardians thrive on. Wonder, Hope, and,” he gestured to himself, “fun. Needless to say, we aren’t on very good terms. He isn’t a Guardian, so he screws with those of us who are.” 

Momentarily forgetting her anger, Laura’s eyes brightened. “There are more Guardians?!” 

Jack smirked and ruffled her hair. “Let’s put it this way: all those stories your mom told you when you were little, Santa and the Tooth Fairy… they’re all true.”

Laura’s eyes gleamed and she smiled. But it quickly faded. “So… this Pitch… what was he doing here?” 

Jack sat back in the snow. “I really don’t know. He told me he’d be waiting… watching from the shadows. That’s where he hides, the coward.” Jack sighed. “I hate to admit it, but he can only be plotting something. And I don’t want to drag you into it.” 

Laura took his hand and led him back to the barn, up to the hayloft where it was warm and dry. Jack plopped into the hay without feeling, seeing almost without hope. Laura sat gently beside him, folding her legs delicately beneath her. 

The tension between them was thicker than stone, and it set Laura on edge. Usually, Jack was so eager to talk to her and laugh with her, and generally just be with her. But this time… it was like he was hiding something from her. 

She tried to turn his face up, but he flinched and jerked out of her grasp, turning away. That was when Laura immediately knew something wasn’t right. “Jack, what’s wrong?” she asked quietly, putting her hand on his knee. “Ever since I came home, you haven’t once looked me in the eyes. Something’s wrong.” 

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, sending a shower of snow down his shoulders. “We’re wrong,” he murmured. “You and me. Who… what I am keeps us apart. We shouldn’t be together.”

Laura huffed and put her hand on his cheek. “You told me yourself you wanted something to be between us. And I know there is.” Laura leaned forward and kissed his cheek, causing a chill to shoot through her lips. “Are you saying you lied?” 

Jack shook his head. “No. I told you three days ago that I would never lie to you again. I always keep my promises, Laura.” He let his head fall against the wall. “I… it’s just… augh, I can’t explain it! It’s like… hearing Pitch today… it made me worry.” 

“Worry?” Laura said.

Jack pulled her into his embrace. She leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. This happened so often now, the cold didn’t bother her. 

“Pitch is going to come after me,” Jack confessed. “He’s going to target you. He wants to destroy all the happiness in the world. And he knows that to get to me… he’ll go for you. And I don’t want you to get involved.” He hugged Laura tighter and inhaled her sweet scent. Laura always smelled like wood smoke, honey, and pomegranates. It was an intoxicating combination to him. “It will be dangerous for you if I stay much longer. You could get hurt. I’m going-”

“NO!”

Jack flinched. He’d never heard that kind of power come from Laura’s voice! “No, Jack, please… you can’t go!” He looked down to see Laura crying into his chest, fingers curled around his sweatshirt. She’d broken. She finally looked… like a normal, teenage human girl. With insecurities and chips in her armor. Such a strong, beautiful girl had a weakness… her weakness was him. 

“You can’t go… don’t leave me…” Laura sobbed. “Don’t leave me… Daddy, you can’t leave me alone.” This last part was whimpered, barely a whisper.  That’s when Jack realized why she held so fast to him. Her father had been the last man she’d loved, and he’d died. Now that Jack was telling her of the danger he was going to face… she didn't want him to die as well.

Jack smoothed down Laura’s hair and brought her face up. He kissed away her tears. “Alright now, dry your tears. Shh… shh…” Jack couldn’t say anymore, because he couldn’t lie. He knew that he would have to leave soon. He couldn’t keep Laura in the path of so much danger.

Laura took his face in her hands and kissed him. Jack’s lips parted, icy yet melting, hard yet soft. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Jack’s hands slid up Laura’s back, chilly though her white cable-knit sweater, and over her shoulder blades. Then one of his hands was in her hair, cradling Laura’s head. His mouth became warm and fierce. He pulled her hard against his chest, as if he couldn’t get her close enough. But then Jack realized what he was doing. He pulled away, letting Laura catch her breath.

Then he kissed her again, slowly and sweetly. His lips firm yet yielding. He was holding back, keeping her safe. Laura cupped her hand over his chest, feeling the smooth, steady heartbeat that could have convinced her he was human. She pressed her palm flat against it as she looked him straight in his ice-blue eyes and said, “I love you, Jack Frost.” 

Jack’s hands pressed against the small of her back, pulling her hard against his body. He kissed her deeply, melting into her. “Do you have any idea what you’re getting into?” he murmured through the kiss.

Laura shook her head. “But I know I want to get into it,” she said strongly. “Because whatever I do, you’ll be beside me.” 

“Not for long, I’m afraid,” Jack admitted, looking deeply into her eyes and tracing her cheek with his thumb. “Winter’s almost over. I’ll have to go soon.” 

Tears pricked at the corners of Laura’s eyes. “But… but you said you’d-”

“Ah ah ah,” Jack cut in, raising his finger to her lips. “I’m sorry, but I never actually said I wouldn’t leave. I’ve known I would have to go since the day I met you.” Jack pulled Laura closer, cradling her head with one hand, the other on the small of her back. Laura sniffed. She didn’t argue, because she knew he was right.

“Laura, I’m sorry,” Jack consoled. “But it’s who I am. I have to go when spring comes.” 

Closing her eyes, Laura buried her tear-stained face in his shoulder. Jack smelled clean and fresh, like water, but also like spearmint. Laura bit her tongue. _Everyone I care about leaves me,_ she almost said, but she knew the words would only make things worse.

Instead, she stood up, pulled on her coat and hat, and lifted Jack to his feet. The boy looked puzzled. Laura smiled. Neither of them said anything until Jack realized she was putting a blanket, saddle, and bridle on Piglet. The mare tossed her head and whinnied happily. 

“Where are you going?” he asked.

Laura heaved into the saddle. “Come on, Jack. I want to show you something.” Jack opened the barn doors for her and barely had time to shut it before Laura kicked Piglet into a gallop, letting out a gleeful whoop. Jack laughed and raced after her.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack had to admit, Laura was fast on her horse.

He flew low to the ground and scooped up a handful of snow. With a mischievous smirk, he chuckled the snowball, satisfyingly hitting Laura in the shoulder.

Laura gasped in disbelief, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. Jack flew faster, passing her and waving. Laura stuck out her tongue. “Jack Frost, when I catch up to you, you’re dead!”

“Can’t kill an immortal, sweetheart!” he called. “You can’t even catch me!”

“Wanna bet?” she muttered under her breath, grinning and urging Piglet faster. Sure enough, within minutes they’d caught up to Jack. Laura smirked. “You might wanna re-think your theory, sweetheart.”

Jack laughed. The two raced for another mile or so until Laura slowed Piglet to a walk, then a stop. She dismounted and few her an apple from the saddle bag. She took Jack’s hand and led him through the skeletal trees. “Come on, you’ll be amazed,” Laura promised.

She stopped, and Jack looked around. His eyes widened. Mountains surrounded them on every side, completely covered in snow. They stood on the banks of a small but deep lake with half-frozen water the color of the sky at twilight. The snow was pure and untouched. It was all so beautiful.

“Wow…” he breathed. “This is… this…”

Laura smiled and put her hands in her coat pockets. “Gorgeous, isn’t it? Daddy and I found it when we were hiking one year, back when I was a little girl.” She bent down and poked at a chunk of ice floating near the shore. “Lots of memories here, all between me and him. Even Mama doesn't know about it. Daddy taught me how to swim here, and how to skip rocks. He and I used to spend all afternoon out on the water in the summer, fishing. But it never froze enough for me to skate on it.”

Jack looked down at Laura and sat in the snow beside her. _This is her special place_ , he thought. _She and her dad… this was their place. I don’t think she’s brought anyone here… except me_. “I can tell you were really close to your dad,” he said.

Laura smirked and half-heartedly chuckled. “He was my best friend,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Mama more than anything, but Daddy… Daddy was my everything.” She smiled. “He used to call me his Ice Princess. I could tell him everything and know he wouldn't judge me. No matter what I told him, I was still his little girl. We did everything together, then…” She snapped her fingers. “He was gone, just like that.” Laura sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I cried for days, and had nightmares. I just… couldn't believe he was gone.”

Jack put his arm around Laura. “I never had a family. One day, I just… existed, exactly the way I am now. I was taught by the other Guardians who I was and what I had to do…” Jack shrugged. “And I've been on my own.” Laura sighed and leaned against him, comforted by his embrace.

“It was weird,” Jack continued, “…at first… I used to have these dreams. They weren't good or bad, just… dreams. I saw this little brunette girl in a brown dress, skating on a pond. But, she fell in… every time, she would fall through the ice. I would jump in and save her, but I couldn't get out myself. Something kept pulling me deeper into the freezing water. Then…” He looked up at Laura, who was listening intently to every word. “Then I would wake up.”

Laura blinked and scooted closer to him. “Do you still have this dream?”

He shook his head. “Not really. Once in a while, but each time, the details get blurrier. The little girl’s face, or where we are… I don’t know. It’s like something doesn't want me to remember.”

Sighing, Laura held his hand tightly and rested her cheek on his shoulder. She gazed out on the lake. “I always told my daddy that I've always wanted to skate on this lake. I've never had the chance, even though I come back every year.” Jack smiled.

“Every year isn't this year, Laura.” He stood up and took Laura’s hand, leading her to the edge of the pebbly shore. With a slow wave of the wooden staff in his hand, the lake began to crackle and freeze. Within minutes, the entire surface was covered in a thick sheet of ice.

Laura’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Jack, it’s amazing!” she exclaimed, but her smile fell. “But… I don’t have my skates…”

He laughed. “Laura, you know I find your disbelief in me a little insulting?”

Without another word, Jack swept Laura onto his back. She clung onto his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. For such a slight frame, Jack was incredibly strong. He smirked and slid off into the sunset.

Laura’s hair whipped back as the cold air stole her breath away. Her eyes widened in glee, and she laughed. It echoed through the still air, making Jack laugh as well. “This is insane!” she said over the wind in her ears. “It feels just like I’m flying!”

“You could be,” Jack said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Do you trust me? I can take you higher than you've ever been before. But I need you to trust me.” He slid to a stop on the ice.

Laura looked over her shoulder, where Piglet stood patiently where Laura had stopped her. She was probably freezing without her blanket. Jack took her back and watched as she mounted her horse. “I’ll put Piglet up for the night,” she said. “Then we’ll talk."

Jack agreed and swept through the trees, giving Laura some space as she rode home. Piglet found a comfortable pace at a fast trot, which was perfectly fine for Laura. She wanted some time to think.

Jack was a different kind of wonderful. Not only was he sweet and kind and gentle, not to mention insanely handsome, but he was also an ethereal, magical being whose powers went to unimaginable levels in Laura's mind. Jack could take her to places she'd never dreamed of, and he would if she let him.

But that fact was also a hindrance. He was immortal. He would live forever, and one day he would have to leave Laura behind. Whether now or in the future, someday, she would be left alone again. It almost made her cry, imagining a winter without Jack and his ice-blue eyes.

\----

Mama was waiting for Laura when she and Piglet trotted into the barn. As soon as she dismounted, Mama wrapped her up in an enormous embrace. "Laura Elaine, where in the world have you been? I thought you had been kidnapped or killed and left out in the forest!"

Jack appeared in the doorway and met Laura's gaze. One look, and he knew it would be best to make himself scarce for the moment. He disappeared again, but the sound of rushing air told Laura he'd flown up into the hayloft he frequented.

Hugging Mama tighter, Laura cooed, "Mama, Mama, I'm alright. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"But you didn't tell me where you went!"

"Just out in the forest. I went riding with Jack."

Mama stiffened at the mention of his name, as if Laura had just cursed.

Laura rolled her eyes and wrestled out of Mama's grasp. "I keep telling you, Mama, Jack isn't gonna hurt either of us! I know him so much better than you do. I..." Laura looked her mama in the eyes. "I love him, Mama. I really do."

Doubt clouded her mama's eyes as she inspected her daughter. But, there it was, that sincerity. She hadn't seen that look since her husband died. There was nothing but honesty and love in the look Laura gave her now.

She smiled, tears in the corners of her eyes, and traced Laura's cheek. "My little baby's all grown up," she muttered, kissing her forehead and hugging her tightly again. "Just don't grow up too fast, okay Ice Princess?"

And against the irritation Laura had felt moments before, her eyes began to sting. "I promise, Mama."

As if on cue, Jack poked his head out of the loft and slowly climbed down the ladder. He stayed in a corner until Laura broke away from her mama and waved him over. He took her hand and accepted a gentle kiss on the cheek from Laura's mom. She jumped back and smiled, her fingers on her lips. 

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "You two must have been out quite a while. Jack, honey, you're freezing!" Laura stifled a giggle as Jack turned red. Mama just smiled and looked at the two.

"You take good care of her, hear? If you make my baby cry, I'll shoot you into next year."

Jack and Laura laughed, squeezing their hands tighter. "I promise, ma'am. You can trust me..." He looked at Laura. "I keep my promises." Laura smiled sadly, and it luckily went unnoticed by her mama.

Mama smiled and tweaked Laura's nose before bustling inside. She called over her shoulder, "I'll you in for supper soon, both of you!"

Laura nudged Jack. "A dinner invitation. You've passed the test." 

"Did I, now?" he teased, giving Laura a kiss that made her heart jump. "I guess I should be proud of myself."


	6. Chapter 6

_'I guess I should be proud of myself.'_

Laura gave him a playful shove. "You should! Mama's one stubborn mule. It's kinda hard for her to accept someone she doesn't approve of right away."

Jack just squeezed her hand and watched as she took off Piglet's tack, brushed her down, picked the mud out of her hooves, and wrapped her in a blanket. She gave her warm oats and hugged her warm, strong neck before walking back to the house with Jack.

They could feel the warmth eminating from the house before they even reached it. Steam clouded all the windows and smoke puffed merrily from the chiminey.

Laura bit her lip. "Will you be okay inside?" she asked, feeling his cold skin start to numb her fingers. "Sometimes it gets too warm for even me. I don't want you to..." What would he do? Melt? Faint?

Jack looked from her to the foggy window to the darkened yard. "I think I can handle it as long as I can sit next to the door and keep it open."

"And the hot food?"

He smiled. "What any other human would do: I'll blow on it." To demonstrate, he blew lightly in her face. She gasped. His breath was even colder than his skin! And smelled deliciously of mint.

She smiled as he kissed the tip of her nose. "And after dinner, I'll show you my version of flying~" he cooed. Laura shivered in delight.

\---

It was almost painful getting Mama to believe Jack was a regular teenage boy. She was so full of questions, for each of which Jack had an answer along with his cheery disposition.

"Where do you live?"

"All over the place."

"Do you work?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"In what?"

Jack winked at Laura before smiling and answering. "Landscaping."

"Where's your family?"

"I don't have any."

"What happened to them?"

Jack pretended to look sad, though it might not have all been an act. "They died." Mama left that one alone.

Her favorite question though was one that made Laura almost choke on her dinner from laughing: "Do you bleach your hair?" Jack just blushed, smiled, and complimented her on her delicious chili.

After dinner, as Laura and Jack were once again walking through the darkness, she started laughing again. "I can't belive she asked if you bleached your hair!" she said between giggles, running her fingers through his soft white locks.

Jack smirked. "I have to admit, I dont get asked that a lot. But, even the fact that she can see me makes me happy."

Laura was puzzled. She pulled him around the corner of the barn and looked up at him through the darkness. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Why wouldn't Mama be able to see you?"

"It's a Guardian thing. Humans can't see us unless they believe in us. That's why we usually can only be seen by kids. Otherwise we'd be in trouble and unable to do our jobs. Even with that, we try to stay out of sight." Jack smiled and smoothed Laura's hair. "You've always believed. I can tell by the look in your eyes."

She blushed slightly. "Well... yes. I always knew the snow didn't fall the way it did without someone controlling it. And the patterns I saw in the ice and frost..." Laura smiled. "You're an artist, Jack. Every winter is a new masterpiece of your own creation. I always knew that."

Jack smiled and pulled her close, closing the gap between them. Laura loved it when he kissed her. She loved the chill of his lips, his face, his hands. She loved his soft hair that brushed against her forehead like whisps of cotton candy. But most of all, she loved that his kisses were different than the rest she'd recieved. His were full to the brim with love.

He broke the kiss and smiled. "Come on, Laura. Let me show you something," he said. Laura smirked and stuck out her tongue. Jack was throwing her own words back at her, and she was taking the pitch.

She smiled and was led to a small clearing behind the barn. "Climb on my back," Jack instructed. Laura did as she was told, locking her arms around his frigid neck.

Wind began to blow. It ruffled Laura's hair and made her skin prickle. "Close your eyes," he murmured. Laura looked at him suspiciously, but gently shuttered her eyes, curtaining the beautiful swirled pools of green and gold. Slowly, Jack began to rise off the ground. An awkward flick of his wrist, of his staff, and it lightly began to snow. Laura liked it when it snowed, and it would make this trip all the more beautiful. Dare he say it, magical, even.

A rush of air. Biting cold pushing past their faces. Laura knew they were moving fast. "Can I open my eyes now?" she said over the wind in her ears.

"No, not yet. Almost," Jack said. He hitched Laura higher on his back and continued to fly high over the treetops.

Soon, Jack slowed down to where they were smoothly gliding through the air, held aloft by gentle, caressing breezes. Jack smiled at the little town below them. "Okay. Open your eyes."

Laura's eyelashes fluttered. She blinked, gripped Jack's shoulders tighter, and stared in wonder. "Ah! It's my town!" she exclaimed. "There's my school, and the stables, and the orchards!" Laura sighed and rested her cheek against Jack's shoulder. He looked back at her.

Snow nestled in her dark curls and balanced on her eyelashes. Her bright pink cheeks matched her lips. "Only for you, my angel," he whispered, very carefully shifting so she clung to his chest instead of his back. He smiled lovingly down at her, tracing the corner of her eyes with his thumb.

"You have stars in your eyes," he cooed.

Laura smiled and turned away. "Daddy used to tell me that," she replied wistfully. "He said it was a sign I was bound to be a Hollywood starlet."

Jack smirked and held her close, flying further into the night. "I've actually been to Hollywood, several times. And you're too kind and gentle and sweet to fit in there." Laura smiled gently amd clung to him, more out of love than fear. She knew Jack would never let her fall. He would catch her.

She closed her eyes. For the first time, she felt warm curled up next to him. His warmth was her own. Her weight was comforting in Jack's arms.

He looked down at her. Laura had fallen asleep. She looked so vulnerable and fragile, Jack felt his heart jump. Laura was the one thing he cared for, even more than his own life. But did he love her, truly love her? He wasn't sure.

And there was the fact that Laura went back to school in two days. Pitch hadn't shown his ugly face since yesterday, which could only mean he was plotting. If Jack left, would Pitch leave Laura and her mom alone?


	7. Chapter 7

Silently, Jack landed on the tiny balcony outside Laura's bedroom. A wave of his hand made the door glide open. Apparently, her mom was already asleep.

Jack floated inside and laid Laura down on her bed. He took off her boots, coat, and gloves. Gently, he slid her underneath the multiple down comforters and quilts. He kissed her forehead.

Laura probably didn't mean to, but she shivered and drew her quilts closer. Jack's heart sank, and he went back outside and closed the door. He didn't go to the barn, however. No, there were too many thoughts storming in his head.

He walked around in the snow for a while, trying to think. But all that he could think about was Laura's shiver. Her pink cheeks, and the fact that every time they kissed, her lips would turn slightly blue.

They were different creatures. All of the universe was screaming that at him, showing him that they couldn't be together. Jack Frost was never supposed to fall in love with a mortal girl. He knew that... but no matter how hard he tried, Jack couldn't stay away from Laura. Their bond was magnetic, always drawing them together. 

Jack sighed and fell into the drifts of snow, looking up at the moon. Full and clear, shining through the darkness like a beacon. He sneered. "You did this," he spat. "You twisted our fates so we would be together. I don't hate you for that. Quite the opposite. I hate you for making me choose."

The moon was silent.

He smirked twistedly. "But you already know what I'm going to do, don't you?" Jack's eyes narrowed. "So which is it? What am I going to do?! Stay and have a barrier between us? Or leave and break both of our hearts?" He jumped up to his feet. "What am I going to do?!?!" he screamed up at the sky. 

"I don't know, Jack. What are you going to do?" The voice was not that of the moon. He knew that bastard would never answer him. But, this voice was just as familiar, and just as loathed. 

He spun around and gripped his staff tightly, ready to smack someone in the face. "Pitch. What hole did you crawl out of?" he spat at the figure leaning against a tree, almost invisible in the dark.

"I told you I would be waiting, Jackie. Watching." Pitch smirked and stood up straight. "I never left. I've been observing you and your girl quite closely." His smirk turned into a wry grin. "And now I know how to get to her... to you both." 

After a moment, the realization struck Jack like hail the size of rocks. He looked from Pitch up to Laura's window. He shook his head. "No... not her nightmares! Don't make her suffer again!" 

Pitch threw back his head and cackled. "Do you think begging will have even the tiniest effect on me? Besides, it's too late now. My shadows are already seeping into her mind, tapping into her deepest fears. Just listen." 

Sure enough, Jack's enhanced hearing picked up on Laura's tiny whimpers. She was crying. Jack didn't even bother with Pitch anymore, all he cared about now was saving Laura from her darkest dreams.  He shot up to her window and slid easily inside.

Laura was sobbing into her pillows, thrashing in her sleep. She cried out, "No, Daddy! Come back, Daddy! It isn't safe!" Her cries were slowly turning into screams. "No! _Ja-ack_ , don't leave me! _Ja---ck!"_

Jack was both afraid she would wake her mom up and afraid of what she could be dreaming of that made her scream like that. He shook her roughly. "Laura! Wake up, you're dreaming!" 

Her veridian eyes burst open, but she didn't see Jack straightaway. Her eyes were wild and glassy, moving rapidly from side to side, trying to focus.

"Don't take me," she murmured. "Please, leave me and Mama alone."

He tried to find her gaze, tried to keep her eyes on him. "It's Jack," he said. "I'm not taking you anywhere. Just calm down." 

"Jack?" Laura whispered his name like it was something she only partially remembered. 

"You were dreaming, love. A nightmare," Jack explained. 

But Laura wasn't listening. She crawled forward on her bed and clawed at Jack's sweatshirt, trying to get a grip. Her face was desperate. 

"Don't take me," she sobbed, her voice like a little girl's. "Daddy was here, the snow, my lake... I don't want to go." Laura grabbed his waist, throwing her arms around it. She sobbed into his stomach. Her eyes were open, but they still weren't seeing him.

_Pitch must have really hit her hard,_ Jack thought, holding his crying girl close, trying his best to comfort her. _Damn him... he's going to pay for what he's done to Laura._

"I don't know where I am," she croaked.

"You're here," he said gently. "In the forest, in your house." Jack leaned down and gently kissed her cheek. "I'm here." 

That kiss was probably what woke her up: the familiar, shocking chill of his lips turned on her synapses and brought her out of the half-disoriented fantasy she was trapped in and pulled her back into the reality. She blinked, her eyes returning to normal. Laura looked up at him and touched his cheek. 

"Jack," she said.

He nodded.

"Thank you."

"You were dreaming. I just woke you up." 

"Thank you."

She smiled softly and moved slightly so she was sitting in Jack's lap, her cheek against his shoulder. It was silent for a while.

"It was so horrible..." she said distantly. "I was at the lake with Daddy... and he ran off. I couldn't move to run after him. Then it started to snow and you showed up, skating on the water." Laura heaved a sob. "Then, an avalanche buried Daddy. I was crying, so you tried to come and help me, but something big and black wrapped around your legs and pulled you through the ice." Laura's shoulders began to shake again. "Jack... I was so afraid!"

Jack held her close and rocked her. "Oh... sweetheart... shh, shh, it's all over now. It didn't happen. Shh... it's okay. I'm here."

Laura looked up at him. She bit back more cries when she saw the sorrowful look on his face. She wiped her eyes and kept her voice level. "Jack... you... promise me you'll stay by me forever."

No words were spoken, Jack just held her closer. He couldn't tell her out loud. That was the real reason he'd taken her flying that night. He wanted to give her, show her something amazing to remember him by. 

Once again, Laura started to cry, although quietly. She noticed that the tears started to turn to ice pellets in her hands as she stayed ever nearer to Jack. "You can't leave me..." she whispered. 

"I have to."

"But what if you can't find me again? What if I'll never see you again?" Laura was bawling and hysterical on the inside, but kept her voice level.

"I'll always find you." Gently, Jack took Laura's fingers and pressed them against his chest, over his heart. He did the same with her. "Our hearts beat as one," he whispered. "Can you feel it? I will come back next winter, I promise."

Jack removed his fingers and waved his hand. A beautiful necklace appeared on Laura's neck. It was cold against her skin. She lifted it up. 

"It's beautiful..." she muttered. a crystalline snowflake hung from a fragile chain, so thin it seemed that it would break with the slightest tug. The pendant reflected every bit of light.

"It's pure ice," Jack explained. "I enchanted it. As long as you wear it, it will never melt or break." He brought the snowflake to his lips. "Wear it and think of me."

"I will never take it off." Laura hugged Jack tightly. 

"Goodbye, Jack." "Never say goodbye," he cooed gently, stroking her hair. "Because goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting." 

Laura emitted a choked laugh. "I could never forget you. and I'll always... always believe in you."

He smiled. "Then wait for me." 

"What?" 

"I'll be back next winter. Wait for me on the first day of December. And we can be together again for another winter. Wait by the lake, and I'll come."

Laura smiled. "I'll be there." She kissed Jack passionately, tears streaming down her face. She kissed him with every ounce of love she had ever felt. Jack did the same, holding her tightly against him, feeling her warmth soak into him like water into a sponge.

Finally, Jack pulled away and smiled softly. He held both of her hands tightly. "Laura, I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone before." 

She wiped her eyes. "W-what is it?"

Jack kissed her knuckles. "I love you." Laura gasped slightly. "I love you, my Ice Princess. Remember me. I'll come back for you." 

Wind began to blow. Jack was really leaving. With one last, heartbroken smile, Jack Frost disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes, blowing out the window.

Laura stared at the window, at the moon reflecting through the glass. Slowly, she crawled back under the blankets. "I'll remember you," she said, although Jack couldn't hear her. She looked at the ice pendant. As she closed her eyes to try and sleep, she whispered, "I remember everyone that leaves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that last line isn't mine. Credit to Disney.


	8. Chapter 8

It didn't snow at all the next day.

When Laura woke up, her pillows were wet from crying all night. She yawned and wiped her eyes, rubbing the dried sleep-crusties from the corners. Sunlight streamed through the window. Usually, Laura would start freaking out because she overslept. But today, she couldn't care less. Everything that happened last night had sapped her of every ounce of willpower she had.

Still in her clothes from the previous day, Laura sat up and eventually got out of bed, ran a brush through her hair, and trudged downstairs.

As usual, her mama was busy making enough eggs, sausage, and bacon to feed a small army, Though, unusually, she scowled. A scowl never meant anything good.

"Laura Elaine, do you have any idea what time it is?" Mama clipped. Laura shook her head. "Nine. O'clock. _In the morning._ I expect you to be up by six so you can get your chores done before breakfast. I had to do them myself!"

"Oh," was all Laura said. "Sorry, Mama."

Her mother stopped cooking and turned to her daughter, concerned that she was talking like she was. Laura was downcast, staring at the floor, leaning against the doorjamb. For once, she wasn't smiling, and she was wearing the same clothes as the day before. She had dark circles under her eyes, which were tinged with red like she'd been crying. Laura looked like she'd burst into tears again in a heartbeat.

Putting down her spoon, Mama bustled over and brushed Laura's bangs out of her eyes. "Baby, what's wrong?"

Laura looked at her bare feet. "Jack left last night," she mumbled.

"He _what_?" The news was surprising, but Laura looked completely wrecked.

"It's okay," Laura muttered, pushing away and collapsing into a chair. "He knew he would have to go. He didn't belong here anyway. Jack knew that."

"Of course he belonged here!" Mama reproached. "You two are in love! There's nowhere else he belongs except alongside the one he cares about most."

Laura just buried her head in her arms.

-SPRING-

School started again. Laura fell back into her old routine of juggling school, friends, volleyball, and her responsibilities at home. She fell back into what was comfortable and normal. After a few months, Laura even began to smile and laugh again.

But she never forgot winter. All along the margins of her school papers were doodles of beautiful snowflakes and etchings of frost. The necklace was ever-present, still always cold against her neck. In her school art contest, Laura won first place for her pastel drawing of a boy skating over a frozen lake without ice skates, lips twerked into a grin and light shining in his ice-blue eyes.

-SUMMER-

Long gone were the snow and ice. The sun was warm, the days were long, and Laura's skin turned the color of caramel. Without school to occupy her time, Laura busied herself with a job at the town stables. She loved all the horses there, and often rode Piglet to work so the mare could run around the pastures with the other horses.

All summer long, Laura camped, swam, rode, and did everything a seventeen-year-old girl would do. She was happy, but she always imagined how much happier she would be with Jack by her side. Laura touched the ice pendant to her lips, thinking of the kisses they'd shared, and continued to work.

-FALL-

Once again, school started to run.

A knot formed in Laura's stomach, knowing she was so close. She tried to focus on her schoolwork, but her mind always drifted away to far off places, wondering what Jack was doing. Was he bringing winter to other parts of the world? Was he anxiously waiting like she was?

After Thanksgiving, Laura began to count down the days until December first.

Eight...

Seven...

Six...

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two...

One.

-WINTER-

December first was a Saturday. Laura woke up earlier than usual, did her chores quickly, and scarfed down her breakfast.

But Mama told her she wasn't going anywhere until her bedroom and bathroom were clean. "I don't know how you can find anything in that black hole you call a bedroom," her mama said.

Laura begged and pleaded to be let go, but Mama wouldn't budge. Knowing it was impossible, Laura moved as fast as she could, trying to get it done. Finally, she was released.

Laura ran out across the bare yard, no snow yet, and flew into Piglet's saddle, ready and waiting for her. She and her horse galloped as fast as they could towards the lake.

Laura prayed that Jack wouldn't be waiting for her yet. She wanted to be the first one there, to be the one waiting for him, just like she had promised last winter.

\---

She was right. Laura was the first one to reach the lakeside. She dismounted and looked around, smiling. She remembered the last time she'd been here.

 _Soon, he'll be back_ , Laura thought, wrapping Piglet in a thick blanket. Laura made a small fire to keep them warm and collected enough dry wood to last for several hours. She didn't know how long she would be waiting. It didn't snow, but was colder than hell frozen over.

She skipped some rocks on the water and waited.

She made a small pot of hot chocolate over a fire and waited.

She took a small nap curled up next to Piglet and waited.

She and Piglet snacked on bread and fruit, and she waited.

Hours passed, and still Laura waited. But the longer she waited, the more time she had to think. Wonder. Doubt. Soon, Laura looked up at the sky, where even the sun had begun to set. She scoffed and shook her head.

They were gone, her beliefs and her dreams. Like a soap bubble, or a white dandelion, or the last golden sliver of a dream that never came true.

Jack wasn't coming.


	9. Chapter 9

_Faster, faster, I need to go faster!_

Jack soared over the forest, searching with his eyes for the small lake and with his heart for the one heartbeat that matched his. _Forgive me, Laura, he pleaded in his mind. They wouldn't let me go. But I'm coming. Just wait a little bit longer._

_Thump-ump. Thump-ump._

There. It was her heart, singing out for Jack to come and find. He grinned and flew faster than ever before, right down to the edge of the lake.

Just in time to hear Laura say, "I actually fell for one of my dreams."

 _No_. Jack's smile dropped as he watched her stand up and brush dirt out of her jeans. He waved both arms. "Laura! Laura, I'm right here!"

Laura picked up a few things around her and put them in the saddle bag. "It was a dream, Piglet," she said sadly. "All a dream. But a wonderful dream, that I never wanted to end." She sighed and heaved into the saddle. "But a dream, nevertheless."

"No!" Jack screamed, lunging for Laura. But instead of knocking her off her horse, poor Jack fell right through her, landing headlong in the dirt.

He looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "She doesn't believe..." he whispered to himself as Laura slowly rode away. He didn't want to admit it was true... but she'd lost faith in Jack and stopped believing. And now, he was letting her go.

Jack stood indignantly and clenched his fists. "Oh no, you don't..." he growled. "I'm not giving up that easily. Laura... you have to remember!"

He flew after her, matching Piglet's slow trot with ease. It began to snow heavily, quickly turning into fat white clumps of flakes.

Laura stopped and looked up at the sky. Perfect. "Where did this come from, Pig?" she asked. The mare snorted and pawed the ground. She didn't know either.

Jack directed the winds to gently blow the snow into a large drift near Laura's leg. As it piled up, he floated over her head, whispering in her ear. "Ice Princess... my Ice Princess... Ice Princess..."

Laura turned her head, looking all around. She still couldn't see him. "Did you hear something? I could've sworn..." _Yes, it was working!_ Just a little bit more...

Jack turned to the snowdrift, now nearly touching Laura's boot. He knelt in the air just above it and, with his finger, wrote, "Remember." In another spot, he drew a heart and wrote "Jack + Laura" inside. Looking up at Laura, he continued to draw and write in the fresh powder until he saw the realization sink in on her face.

\----

 _Remember. Jack + Laura. JF + LA._ At first it scared Laura, seeing the words write themselves. But it slowly sank in what was happening. Laura's eyes filled with tears, and she gripped the reins tighter. "Jack..." she whispered. "Oh, Jack..."

Suddenly, in a flurry of snowflakes, a familiar, much-missed figure appeared. Laura smiled and jumped off her horse, right into Jack's outstretched arms. Both were crying from joy, kissing the other like they would soon disappear.

"Jack, Jack!" she cried. "My Jack! Why didn't you come? I thought it wasn't real... I thought it was all a dream when you didn't show up, I-"

Jack pressed a finger to her lips, quieting her. "I'm so sorry, Laura," he cooed gently, holding her close. "I'll explain everything later. But now, we've got to get you and Piglet home." He put his hand to her cheek. "You're freezing."

Laura blushed. "I've been waiting all day."

Jack smiled and lifted her back into the saddle. "You won't have to wait any more. Go on, I'll meet you there."

Laura grinned at the challenge. "Let's go, Piglet!" she whooped, taking off at a gallop.

Jack grinned. "That's my girl," he murmured before racing after her.

\----

"Why were you so late?" Laura asked. She and Jack were snuggled in a warm corner of the hayloft after dinner, where Jack had been subject to the prying curiosity of Laura's mother. Now they were alone again, at last. It was so familiar, so much like the previous year, that Laura had a hard time believing that a year had passed.

"Er... they wouldn't let me go," he said, running his fingers through her hair. Snow was coming down heavily now, blanketing everything in sight.

"They?" Laura looked up at him. "You mean the other Guardians?"

He nodded. "Santa, in particular." Jack snorted. "With a lot of help from the Easter Kangaroo." Laura fell into his lap, laughing.

"The Easter Kangaroo?" she chortled. "I thought he was a rabbit!"

"He is. Kangaroo is just a long-running joke." Jack sighed and continued to play with her hair. "Anyway, Santa heard about last year, and thought it was a bad idea for me to come back. He thought I had better things to do. So, he and EB tried to keep me from coming back." His fingers rested on the snowflake necklace resting above Laura's collarbone. "But... I made a promise to someone extremely important to me." Laura blushed a little and smiled. "I got away and started to fly as fast as I could, searching for your heartbeat."

"How could you find me like that?"

"Everyone, even immortals and inhumans like me, has a single person in their lifetime whose heartbeat matches theirs. You may never know who it is, or even that it does match. But when two people have the same heartbeat, they are destined to be true loves."

His smile turned a little sad. "The sad part is that only a handful of people throughout history have discovered this."

"Like who?"

Jack shrugged. "Some are quite famous. Helena and Paris, the real Romeo and Juliet... people like that."

Laura smiled and leaned up to lightly kiss him. "Mm... I missed you so much, Jack..." she whispered, kissing him again. He kissed her back, ever so gently, as if she were made of ice and could break with the slightest misstep.

"I missed you too, Laura... my sweet, sweet Ice Princess." Jack stretched out his fingers and rested them on Laura's chest. The thumping of her heart was soothing, reassuring, like proof to him that she was still there and that she still believed in him.

Laura pulled back and smiled. "You haven't changed at all," she cooed.

And he hadn't. Jack looked the same as he had last year, and as for hundreds of years. He hadn't changed. But Laura had.

Not very much, but Jack could see it. She had a more defined waist, and her skin was clearer. Her hair was longer, and her v-neck sweater jutted just a bit further. Jack had no problem with that. "And you're still my Laura," he murmured, "just a year older." Laura was still just Laura. Same glossy brown curls, same slender build, same beautiful eyes: a palette of green and hazel and gold. "Still my Laura."

She smiled and kissed him one more time. She had missed the cool, smooth hardness of his lips against hers. "You said you had to get away to come here," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. She traced the white patterns on his sweatshirt. "You won't... get in trouble for being here... will you?"

He shrugged. "Probably not. But come Christmas, we'll probably get a visit from a very pissed-off Guardian or two."

When Laura didn't reply, Jack looked down. A soft smile graced his lips. Laura had fallen asleep, curled up next to him. As carefully as he could, he shifted around so he could lie next to her and fall asleep while holding her close.

Jack wrapped his arms around Laura and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Laura," he whispered, then closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_Cold... always cold..._ Laura thought the next morning, sleepily opening her eyes. When she saw the tousled white hair and pale expression sleeping peacefully next to her, everything that had happened the previous day flooded into her heart and mind. She smiled and kissed Jack's cheek.

That day, Laura had to go to school. When she tried to quietly slip out of the loft to do her chores, it didn't take long for Jack to notice that her quiet breathing and warmth were missing from next to him. He slid down the ladder like rain and teasingly blew down the back of Laura's neck.

Laura shrieked at the sudden gust of freezing air and jumped, startling the chickens. Jack laughed and hugged her from behind. "Ja--ack, don't scare me like that! You made me spill the feed." Scattered around Laura's feet were several handfuls of dried grains, which the six birds were happily pecking at.

"Hey, can you blame me?" he chided, nuzzling the back of her head. "I haven't seen you in months. You've gotta give me some leash here."

Laura sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing back into Jack's solid chest. "And I would spend all day with you if I could," she said. Her voice was light and floating, as if she were still dreaming. "But cruel fate tears up apart for seven hours a day for the next five days."

"Translation?"

Laura giggled and hugged the Guardian. "I still have school for another week. I'll be back by four every day, though, now that volleyball's over."

Jack still frowned. He wasn't happy that he would be apart from Laura for a long period of time each day, and even more so because she would be surrounded by boys who idolized her. He'd seen this to be true.

"What's wrong?" Laura asked, brushing his cheek with silken fingertips.

Jack held her hand lightly. His eyes were the same intense blue that Laura remembered, but no longer were they as cold and icy. Jack's gaze had softened into something gentler. Melted, somehow. "Nothing. Just... I just got you back. I don't want to be apart from you again."

Laura smiled at him. She leaned in for a long, sweet kiss. They could have kissed for hours if Laura's mama hadn't yelled out the side door for breakfast.

\----

Just like the long, empty months without her, a day without Laura felt like a hundred years of solitude. And Jack knew what a hundred years felt like. He knew what it was like to be truly alone: no family to go back to, nowhere he was wanted, no one he could trust.

But that all changed when he met Laura. Jack finally had a place to go where he was wanted and safe, and he had a girl who trusted him and loved him. There was nothing more that he could ask for except for Laura at his side.

Well... there was one thing.

But was it possible?

"If you keep staring like that, you'll burn a hole right through the ground." Jack jumped up and spun around, immediately sweeping whoever was talking to him into his arms. He knew without looking that it was Laura.

He grinned and set her back on her feet, hugging her tightly. "I missed you," he breathed into her ear.

Laura blushed and kissed his cheek, brushing an errant strand of silver hair from his forehead. "I missed you, too."

The two settled into their familiar, comfortable spots in the hayloft. And although Laura was back in his arms, safe and happy, he couldn't get that thought out of his head.

"What are you thinking about?" Laura asked, playing with the strings on his hoodie. "You've barely said anything since I got home."

Jack sighed and looked down at his girlfriend. The innocent sparkle in her lovely eyes, her creamy porcelain skin, he didn't want that to go away. Would he risk it for the chance to be with her for eternity?

"Laura... what do you think about becoming a Guardian?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the next two chapters will be two different endings for this story. One is happy, one is... less than such. Scroll up to the index and choose which one you prefer!


	11. Ending 1- Happy

Laura was taken aback. She'd never heard of such a thing. Then again, before she met Jack, she had no idea what a Guardian even was, let alone what it took to become one. "A... a Guardian? Is... is that even possible?"

Jack shrugged. "I think so... sort of. There's a... er..." He scratched his head sheepishly, embarrassed that he'd suggested it before even knowing how it worked. "It's hard to explain. There's a... sort of a Head Guardian, actually. He's the one who made us all who we are. The Man in the Moon."

She closed her eyes and sighed, trying to take it all in. "This is all so much."

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. The Man in the Moon is the one who will turn you into a Guardian. But... he has to choose you first."

"Choose me?" Jack nodded. "How does that work?"

"Well... I don't really know. But North- er, Santa- tells me that when the time comes, he will speak to you in a way that no one else can hear. He will change you, give you powers, and then leave." Jack sighed. "When I was turned, he told me my name... and that's all he's ever said to me."

Laura looked up at the sky. It was still early evening, but she knew the moon was out there somewhere. "How will he know who I am?"

"He knows everything. Sees everything. The Man in the Moon watches over the world, making sure we're safe." Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "This isn't making much sense at all, is it?"

"Not at all." But Laura smiled gently and slowly laced her thin fingers with his. "But it will soon, I can feel it. I'll do it. I'd do anything... if it means being with you. Especially forever."

Jack smiled and kissed her. He kissed her for a long time, never letting go. Slowly leaning back against the loft floor, falling into the pile of hay that served as his bed, he kissed Laura like he'd never kissed her before. And she didn't stop him. She kissed him back with just as much fervor. Laura traced Jack's shoulders, then his waist. Slowly, her fingers slid underneath his sweatshirt, running across the smooth, cold panes of his stomach. Jack gasped slightly at the contrasting warmth. "Nh... n-no..."

"What's wrong?" she asked, pulling away the slightest bit. The tips of their noses still touched. Laura's dark hair curled and fell over one shoulder, pooling on Jack's chest.

"This... I don't think we should do this... yet." Jack held Laura's wrists and placed her warm hands on his cheeks rather than his chest. "Not yet."

"Jack..." Laura looked disappointed, so the boy below her kissed her again sweetly.

"It's not that I don't want to. I really do, and every time I see you, that want returns. I want to show you how much I love you." He let go of one of her hands and traced the curve of her silken cheek, the valley in her Cupid's bow. "But I think we should wait. Firstly, because I don't want your mother to find us like that. She scares me."

Laura smiled softly. "That's reasonable."

"And second, because I don't want to hurt you."

The smile faded. "You won't hurt me, Jack. I know you won't."

"No, you don't. You don't know half of what I can do. I'm sorry, Laura, but even I don't know the extents of my powers, even after three hundred years. I could do something by accident, and..." Jack trailed off and sighed. he took Laura's hand in his, running his thumb up and down her life line. "You're the only one I don't want to take chances with. You mean too much to me."

Laura laid down beside Jack instead of on him, resting her head in the crook of his elbow. She could feel his heartbeat under her hand, slow and steady and comforting. In perfect sync to hers: _thud-ump, thud-ump, thud-ump_. "But I'm about to take the biggest chance of my life with you. Compared to that... what's a little fooling around?"

Something clicked inside Jack, but not in a good way. "Fooling around? Is that what that was?"

Laura groaned and rolled onto her back, realizing her mistake in words. "Jack, that's not..."

"No, I want to know what you're thinking." Jack sat up and looked at Laura, his eyes stormy. "If this is going to work: us, the change, everything, I need to know that you can take it seriously! Not just... fooling around." The words were sharp and bitter on Jack's tongue, an unpleasant feeling.

Laura looked hurt. She looked back at Jack with teary eyes. "Of course I take it seriously! Jack, I just misspoke. I didn't mean to say that." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry."

Jack sighed and relaxed a bit at the touch of her lips. He hadn't even realized that he was tensed up. "Okay. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"You were upset. It's okay."

\----

Late that night, Laura was sound asleep when she heard the whispers. Soft, faint, like wind running through leaves. But there weren't any leaves. Laura kept her eyes shut and listened intently, trying to make out what they were saying. At first they were floating and quiet, like they knew she could hear them.

_"Not... too..."_

_"But wh-... he..."_

_"Should... never before..."_

Then, clear as day, one whisper made Laura shoot upright in bed, wide-eyed with fear. "It's time. Laura, I'm here."

Frantic eyes searched the room. Her door wand window were tightly shut. No one was there. In the bathing of pale moonlight, her bedroom was unchanged. Moonlight...

Jack's words flowed into her mind like music. _"When the time comes, he will speak to you in a way that no one else can hear."_ Laura looked out her window at the bright, luminous orb that hung in the inky blue sky. Again, the voice came. "It's time. Laura, I'm here."

Laura's vision went bright white, blindingly so. When she could see again, her surroundings were pure white. A short, pudgy man with a handlebar mustache stood in front of her. She was afraid. "Wh-where am I?" she gasped, clutching at her chest. "My lungs feel so heavy... Why can't I breathe?"

"Because you're changing," replied the man. "Can't you see?"

Laura looked down at her hand and gasped. Slowly but visibly, she watched her skin pale, a whiter pale than human skin could reach. A look over her shoulder, and her dark hair began to be invaded with white. She looked up at the man, suddenly understanding. The Man in the Moon, the ultimate guardian of whom Jack spoke of with such respect, was standing right in front of her.

"Why are you making me like this?" she whispered. "I'm... I look..."

"Like Jack," the Man in the Moon finished for her. "I know his thoughts. He's willing to share his powers with you. You will be two halves of the same person." Laura blushed, Her cheeks and fingers were becoming numb, like they did when she was out in the cold for too long. But oddly, it didn't bother her. It felt... comfortable. Normal.

"I love him..." she muttered, although she didn't know why.

"I know. Which is why I chose you to become a Guardian. I've looked into your heart and mind. Your love is true and your thoughts are pure." Laura blushed, flashing back to that afternoon in the barn for a moment. "You have a brilliant mind, unwavering faith, and endless imagination. So that's what you will protect. The Guardian of Imagination."

A long, slightly gnarled stick appeared in front of Laura. It looked like Jack's, but it was straight where Jack's was curved. Laura picked it up cautiously. It almost seemed to hum with power, having found its master. "Your staff is the whole center of your power. Do not lose it, do not let it break." Laura didn't reply, just inspected the staff further.

Once the weight was lifted from her chest, Laura gasped at the sudden rush of air. The odd little man smiled. "The change is complete," he said, then waved his hand. Her world turned black again.

\----

Laura didn't awake again until the next morning, when the sun was rising and bathing her face in white-gold light. She groaned and rolled over, wishing for a few more minutes of sleep. Instead, she fell out of bed. Literally.

"Oww..." she groaned, rubbing her forehead. Laura stood up and looked around her room as if she expected some sort of change. But no, everything was exactly the way she'd left it the previous night. The book on her nightstand, the staff leaning against her closet door, the etchings of frost on her windowpanes.

 _Wait, that wasn't there before!_ , she thought frantically, running over to her closet. Laura picked up the staff. Again, it seemed to him and fill the air with power, just like it did in her dream.

But... it wasn't a dream anymore, was it? She threw on some clothes and rushed over to the mirror to stare at her reflection. Silver hair, light blue sweatshirt, brown pants. Ice-blue eyes.

 _Definitely not a dream_ , she thought.

Laura grinned and ran down the stairs, nearly falling, right past her confused mama and out to the barn, not bothering with shoes. Her feet, she swore, seemed to not even touch the ground sometimes.

She climbed the ladder and jumped right on a sleeping Jack, screaming his name and sending up a flurry of straw.

"It wasn't me!" he said groggily, waking from his dream. Laura sat on his stomach, stone still as he stared incredulously at her. "Laura, you're-!"

"I know!" The girl grinned wider. "You were right, Jack. he came to me last night. And now... we're the same!"

Jack beamed and hugged her tightly. "I knew it would work, I knew it! I had a feeling something was going on last night. What did he say to you?"

"That you and I... are kinda like a team. We work together, representing the same thing. But while your center is fun, mine is imagination." Laura hugged him back. His body wasn't cold anymore; he felt just as warm as she did, and it felt so good.

In the distance, Laura could hear her mama calling. "Laura! Laura Elaine! What on earth are you doing?"

Laura froze and turned to her boyfriend. Other half. "Jack, what about Mama? How will I tell her?"

Jack bit his lip. "I guess... we just tell her. Take it as it comes, that's all we can do."

"Jack, this is my _mother_ we're talking about."

"I know." Jack kissed Laura's cheek. "I know. And she loves you just as much as I do. So I know that if we explain things slowly and calmly, she won't get angry. She'll understand."

Laura sighed. "But... my only problem is... will I ever get to see Mama after this?" The words, more like the sadness laced heavily in her voice matched with the tears slowly forming in her eyes, struck Jack's heart. He'd never thought about it before. Since he didn't have a family, he never thought about Laura having to leave hers.

"I suppose you could, if you wanted to. After all, I come to see you every winter, don't I?"

A smile crept back across her lips. "I suppose so." She stood up and brushed the straw out of her clothes and hair. _Good heavens, it will take a long time getting used to the silver._ "Come on, we've got an impending war on our hands."

Jack smirked and followed her down and back towards the house. Jack held Laura's hand tightly, running his thumb across the soft heel of her palm. He could tell her heart was racing. She was scared. The short distance between the house and the barn seemed miles long. With each step, Jack tried to console her. "It's alright," he whispered. "Everything's going to be okay. You're gonna be okay." His words gave Laura some comfort, but not enough.

Slowly, Laura pushed open the kitchen door. Without a sound, she and Jack walked inside. Mama's back was turned.

"Did you do your chores?" she said without turning around.

"Yes, Mama," Laura lied. She'd been so caught up in the change that she'd forgotten.

"Any eggs?"

"No, Mama."

Finally, the woman turned around. She gave a shriek of surprise and her eyes immediately locked on Laura. Her daughter wanted to shrink into the floorboards. Mama would have shattered the plate of biscuits in her hands if Jack hadn't caught it before it hit the floor. "Laura Elaine, what have you done?!" she cried out in dismay.

The girl sighed and pulled a chair from the table. "Please sit down, Mama. I have a lot to explain."

\----

And so, they told her. Everything, from the very beginning. From Jack's strange behavior, to them falling in love the previous year. They explained his disappearance through the other seasons and, finally, about her transformation. Laura's mama was stone still and silent the whole time.

When they finished, Jack stepped up to the plate. "Laura can't stay here much longer," he said bluntly. Laura hit him, but he pretended not to notice. "But, she won't be gone forever. we will come back every winter for a few weeks, as long as it's what Laura wants." He squeezed his girlfriend's hand.

Mama looked down and her own hands, the first movement she'd made in a while. But she still didn't speak. Laura was distraught, seeing her so despondent like this. She pulled away from Jack and knelt in front of her mama.

Slowly, Laura folded her arms on Mama's lap and rested her cheek on them, looking up at the older woman with wide, innocent eyes, just like she would so when she was a little girl. Gently, her mama lifted her hand to smooth down Laura's hair, silver now when yesterday it was dark as chocolate at midnight. The movement was comforting to Laura.

"I guess I can't stop you," Mama finally said quietly. "Ever since you were born, I've only wanted what was best for you."

"This _is_ what's best, Mama," Laura said gently. "There's no going back now. This is who I am. And I'll come back, I promise. Every year." Tears once again pricked the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill.

"I know you will, baby. But just remember: no matter where you go... or what happens..." She bit her trembling lip and smiled lovingly down at Laura, tracing her alabaster cheek. "I'm still your mama. And you'll always, _always_ be my precious treasure. My Ice Princess."

That was it. that was all it took for Laura's wall to come crumbling down. She choked on a sob and threw her arms around her mama's neck. She cried and cried into her shoulder. Laura hadn't cried that much since her daddy died. Mama also started to quietly cry, although she did a better job of trying to hide it.

After several minutes, Mama smiled and pulled Laura back. "Come on, Laura, dry up. Once you start working or whatever you do, you won't even be thinking of me."

Laura emitted a choked laugh. "I'll always be thinking of you, Mama."

"But there's someone else you should think about, too." Mama smiled gently and pushed her towards Jack. "You listen up, boy, and you listen good."

"Ma'am?"

"I'm trusting you. You realize that the only thing more important to me than life itself is Laura." Jack nodded. "I'm putting her in your care. You take good care of her, hear? Or I'll make your life a living hell."

Jack chuckled and wrapped his arms around Laura. "I promise, ma'am. I'll protect her with my life, for she owns my heart." He nuzzled the side of her neck, and Laura blushed.

"Yeah, you laugh now, but my mama don't lie when it comes to me," Laura chided, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Neither do I. I made a promise one year ago that I would never lie to you, or about you." The smile that Jack gave Laura then was like a spell. An amazing spell that made everything around them melt away. It was only them and the tiny pocket of wintry air between them, a pocket that Laura would prefer to not exist.

"I can teach you everything," Jack whispered in her ear. "I can teach you to ride the winds, to dance with the snowflakes, and to draw masterpieces on the window panes. I can teach you what it's like to be me, because now... you are me." Laura smiled and kissed him.

Their first real kiss. no longer did they have to worry about frostbite or hypothermia. Now, there were no holds barred. They shared the same warmth, the same chill. Laura and Jack completed each other in a way that no one else could claim. And this kiss was their proof of that special bond. It was their promise.

\----

Laura agreed to have breakfast with her Mama, and tried to make it special. but honestly, just being there made it special. Afterwards, she went to the barn and offered a tearful goodbye to Piglet before she left. The mare's reaction was nowhere near the same as Dylan's when Jack approached him for the first time. Even after all the changes Laura had undergone, Piglet still recognized her sweet voice. She nuzzled Laura's palms for an apple or sugar cube, snorting when she found none.

Tears streamed down Laura's cheeks as she threw her arms around piglet's neck, burying her face in her soft, warm brown hide. "Oh, my baby girl... my baby... goodbye. Well, no, not quite goodbye. I'll see you later." Piglet nudged Laura's shoulder, as if asking for one last ride. Laura chucked and petted her muzzle. "Not this time, sweetheart. Next time, okay?"

She kissed the Piglet's wide nose over and over again. "Be good for Mama, okay baby?" The mare whinnied softly. She didn't want Laura to go either, which made it so much harder for Laura to let her go. She walked out of the barn, softly crying into her hands, while her horse cried and neighed, wishing for her to come back.

Once outside, Laura sniffed and tried to wipe her eyes. "I'm sorry..." she managed to say. "I just... I've never left home before. I have to leave them all..."

"But not forever." Jack hugged her tightly. He felt her pain as his own, and his heart ached along with hers. "You've got to remember that. It's only until next year, next winter, And trust me, when you're bringing winter to the world and playing with all the kids who believe in us, you'll have so much fun that you won't be sad." He smiled and wiped away Laura's tears. "It will be great, I promise."

Laura smirked. "And you always keep your promises," she teased, then took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready." She clutched her staff, trying to reassure herself more than Jack. 

He took her hands and led her to the clearing behind the house. The same clearing where he'd taken off the first time they'd flown together. Laura closed her eyes. She was ready for this. She was ready. 

"You've got to focus," Jack told her. "Imagine yourself up in the air. Think of the way you want to go: up." Laura thought, and wind began to blow. "You're weightless, at the mercy of the wind. But you can control the wind. It's under your control, bows to your every command." The wind blew harder, whipping Laura's long hair around her face. Jack gripped her hand. 

"Now... fly."


	12. Chapter 12

"A... a Guardian?" The notion made Laura wonder. "Can you even do that?"

"I can't, but I know someone who can." Jack sat up a little straighter. "It would be amazing, Laura. You would have powers beyond your imagination. We could see the world together and do whatever we want!" He held Laura's hands gently. She could see the pure, innocent excitement sparkling in his eyes. "We would always be together... and have a million moments between us that never, ever stop. It could be just like in your books. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

"What I want..." Laura replied softly, as if caught in a dream. "What I... want...?"

"To live forever... with me."

Laura thought about it. She wanted to be with Jack. She wanted that with all her heart. She loved him. And the prospect of being immortal, of never dying, was also quite appealing to her. Laura wasn't afraid of death, never. But she liked the idea of never leaving her loved ones behind. But no, that was false. She would have to leave them behind either way. Even worse, she would have to watch them grow old and die while she stayed forever young. Which fate was worse?

"What about my family?" Laura finally uttered. "Would I ever see Mama again?"

"Of course. I come back every year to see you, don't I?" Jack had a point.

She was quiet for another moment. "But..." Laura blushed, unable to finish her thought out loud.

"What is it?" Jack said, putting a hand on her cheek.

Laura bit her lip and looked at her lap. "Please, don't think I'm rushing things. I'm only thinking of what's going to come. But... the one dream I've clutched on to for dear life, ever since I was a little girl... my one dream in life is to be a mama. And if I'm a Guardian... well, that would mean we'd be together forever, right?" Jack nodded, unsure of where she was going with this. "I guess... what I'm asking is... would we be able to... have kids?"

Now it was Jack's turn to blush. He thought for a few seconds, then kissed Laura's cheek softly where his fingers had just been. "I'm sorry," he whispered against her skin. "But being a Guardian... means giving that part of us up."

"That's what I thought," she mumbled. She was silent for a while longer, looking at her hands like they held all of the secrets to her future. _Live forever with Jack... leave everyone behind. Grow up and live without him... have a family and a home. Such a tough choice... What do I do? What should I do?_

"Okay," Laura finally said after what seemed like hours. "I know what I want."

"You do?" Jack's voice was hopeful. What did she choose?

Laura's gaze didn't lift from her lap. "I love you, Jack... I really do. I've never felt this way about anyone else before, and i don't think I ever will again." Jack's hope grew. "But... I'm sorry. I can't give up my dream. Especially for something that I still feel could be gone in an instant."

The immortal's heart plummeted like a bird after a gunshot to the heart. It hurt just as much. "You... you don't want the change?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry..." There was a crack in her voice. Laura buried her face in his shoulder. "If there was any other way, I would do it. You know I would."

Jack held the girl close and fell back against the hay. He nuzzled her neck gently, engrossed in her warmth, her intoxicating scent. He quieted her again, something he'd gotten quite good at over the past year. "Laura... princess, it's alright. I'm not mad. This just means that nothing will change. We'll be the same as we always have. Nothing's going to be any different." Though the words he spoke hurt like lashes on his heart, Jack reached up and smoothed Laura's hair down. "Nothing's going to change. I still love you as much as I ever will, and I'll still come to see you every year."

Laura hiccuped. "Y-you will?"

"Yes!" Jack chuckled. He seized Laura's chin and looked deeply into her perfect eyes, swirled like an artist's palette and utterly beautiful. He loved her eyes. "Of course, I'll come back. Even though you don't want to become a Guardian, that's alright! I still love you more than anything else in the world. And there is nothing that could keep me away from you when I say I'll come back to you." He smiled and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Laura shivered for a second, but smiled lazily. 

"Do that again," she crooned.

"I don't want you to get too cold," Jack protested.

"No, I'm okay. It's a good kind of chill." Laura looked up at him, eyes half-lidded, curls falling over one shoulder. Jack couldn't deny her when she looked so breathtaking. He smirked and kissed her again, deep and passionate.

\---

The day that Jack left was relatively warm for winter. Laura rode Piglet out to the lake, with Jack flying casually beside her. She loved riding with him. He would always float just above her and play with her hair, or tease her by blowing on her neck and making her shriek. Jack would sometimes hang upside down in front of her and not move until she gave him a kiss. He was childish and immature around Laura, but that was one of the things she loved about him. It proved, to her, at least, that she was the only one who owned his heart, so he could cut back and be his real self around her.

Finally, they reached the edge of the lake. Laura dismounted and rubbed Piglet's shoulder. Yet again, she thought about what would have happened if she'd made the change into a Guardian. Would she have ever been able to ride again? She would have to leave home if she'd changed, and Laura couldn't stand the thought of leaving her precious horse behind.

Jack came up behind her, snapping Laura out of her trance. She smiled and hugged him tightly, feeling his cold skin and steady heartbeat. "Someone so cold and inhuman having something as common as a heartbeat..." she murmured, "it's almost unreal. I don't think I could believe it if I didn't know you." She rubbed her face into the crook of his neck. "I'll miss you, Jack."

"I'll miss you too, Ice Princess. But, I'll be back before you know it. You'll wait for me, right?" Jack hugged her back and kissed her forehead. 

"Of course I'll wait for you. I love you." She smiled and kissed his lips. Another rush of cold shot through her body, a rush she'd almost come to depend on.

Jack pulled away and smiled warmly, lightly stroking the delicate chain hanging around Laura's neck. When he drew back his hand, a replicate snowflake hung on the necklace, a few tiny links of chain separating it from the first. Laura looked down and smiled, brushing her fingertips against the pendants.

"One for each year I've loved you," he whispered. "And I'll keep adding them." He held tightly to her for a little while longer. Soon, the familiar cold winds began to blow, rushing to collect him. Jack began to lift off the ground.

As he flew away, Laura waved goodbye, the hope and trust that he would come back for her sparkling in her eyes. Light, gentle snow began to fall, brushing gently across her cheeks. Laura closed her eyes and smiled. 

"Be safe," she whispered. "I'll be waiting for you."

-FIVE YEARS LATER-

He stuck true to his word. Every year, every winter without fail, Jack returned to the little Montana town in the mountains. After the second year, the other Guardians began to accept that these few weeks with the human girl were something they would never be able to keep Jack away from. Whatever trap they set or tricks they played, Jack would somehow get out of it and always make his way back to Laura's side.

"That boy has something that the rest of us don't," Toothania said dreamily one year, watching from afar as Jack paced restlessly across Santa's workshop, waiting for the sun to set so he could start his journey back to Laura once again.

"A bad temper, nothing to do, and a tendency to irritate those of us who do?" Bunnymund growled, lazily playing catch with Sandman with an elf as a ball.

Tooth stuck out her tongue. "As if you're actually busy right now! Be nice to him. What I meant is that he's got a wonderful warmth in his heart. I can feel it... he's in love. Fallen hard for her."

"Love?" Bunny snorted. "How is that different from the rest of us?"

"It just is. I can't explain it..." The fairy woman pouted, frustrated at the lack of right words.

"Tooth is right," North said, coming up from the workshop floor. "What we feel is not the same kind of love as with Jack. Is deep compassion and want for the happiness of the children of the world, but not true love. Plus, think about it. Jack has been going to this girl-"

"Laura," interrupted Tooth. "Her name is Laura Anderson."

"- for almost five years," he continued, ignoring Tooth's comment. "She is not a child anymore."

Jack, of course, heard none of this conversation. He was too busy thinking of Laura. She was twenty-two now, and every year that Jack visited her, it seemed as though she'd changed so much more. She'd moved into her own house, got a job, and just... looked older. Just little things in her face and the way she carried herself, but the differences were so obvious from when she was sixteen.

But one good thing was that his favorite things about her, those were the things that never changed. Her long, auburn curls, her green-gold eyes. Her sweet smile and laugh like sleigh bells. Her lover for her mother and animals, and for him. Those things would never change about her.

One of Tooth's little fairies flitted around his head, drawing him out of his daydream. He smiled and nuzzled the Baby Tooth with his cheek. "It's just about time for me to go," he said to her. The fairy squeaked and chittered in his ear. "I'll be back in a few weeks, alright?" Baby Tooth gave his cheek a kiss. He smirked and petted its head with one finger.

As Jack flew out the door, North sighed and scratched his chin. "Good luck, Jack," he mumbled. Sandy tugged on his pant leg with a questioning look. North frowned. "I visited Laura's home last Christmas. And Jack... is in for a surprise."

\---

It was late afternoon when Jack skid across the frozen surface of Laura's lake. Their lake, actually. This was the usual time they met, but the only difference was the one that made the biggest impact: _Laura wasn't there._ She was always there, waiting for him with those sparkling eyes. But the only thing that waited for him on the shore was a sprinkling of still-falling snow, which he'd made especially for Laura. She loved it when it snowed, because it let her know that Jack was nearby.

But where was she?

"She probably just got held up," Jack thought out loud, coming to rest on a low-hanging branch of a tree. He closed his eyes to rest, keeping an ear out for the familiar clip-clop of a horse's hooves, or snap of twigs. "She will come..." he murmured to himself, drifting into a light sleep. "She has to come... she promised..."

\---

The dreams that followed Jack were happy ones. They weren't even dreams, but a complied memory of the past six years. Seeing and meeting Laura for the first time, and every time after that when he'd looked upon her angelic face. Each time he'd held her and comforted her as she cried. Every kiss they'd shared. Every time he'd left.

Oddly, he noticed a pattern about his departures. They always ended the same way, whether consciously or not, down to what he and Laura said to each other.

_"I'll miss you, Jack."_

_"I'll miss you too, Ice Princess. But, I'll be back before you know it. You'll wait for me, right?"_ Then, he would kiss her forehead.

 _"Of course I'll wait for you. I love you."_ She would kiss his lips, sending a chill through her and a warmth through him.

He would pull away and trace her necklace, forming another pendant to the chain, always identical to the previous ones. _"One for each year I've loved you. And I'll keep adding them."_ He would hold her a bit longer, then fly away. 

It would softly begin to snow. Laura would wave until Jack was out of sight, disappeared amongst the thick white clouds, then whisper, _"Be safe. I'll be waiting for you."_

Jack smiled in his sleep. His lips tingled with the memory of her kiss, and his skin longed for her touch again. He dreamed of their reunion again this year. Would she run into his arms, let him hold her like he always had? Even though she was older, Laura had kept her small, slight stature. Always perfect to fit into his embrace. Or would he hide from her, stay out of sight and send little breezes to ruffle her clothes, or nestle in her hair a fragile tiara of snowflakes? An ice crown for his Ice Princess. He would hear her laughter, and then he would fly down and sweep Laura into his arms, planting a sweet kiss on her lips.

Jack smiled wider, and his eyes fluttered open. The scene was darker, the sky now laced with faint, fading ribbons of orange and blood red where it still peeked through the clouds. The sun was setting. He sat up and stretched, blinking away the sleep that lingered in his eyes. He looked around the lakeside, around the entire clearing... but Laura was nowhere to be found.

Now, he worried. Laura was always, _always_ there before sunset. Even on the days she had to work late, she always dropped everything and drove to her mama's home, riding Piglet to the shore before the sun began to sink behind the mountains.

He stood up, looking all around for any sign of her. What if Piglet had tossed her? What if she'd hit a tree branch and fallen? Jack shook the bad thoughts from his mind and took off into the sky, flying low over the trees and scanning for his beloved. He found nothing but empty branches, rocks, and snow.

Jack circled Laura's old house, where her mother still lived. No one was home. He flew into the barn. All three horses were asleep in their stalls, blankets wrapped snugly around them. He flew up into the old hayloft. Nothing.

Jack was seriously freaking out now. A million thoughts ran through his head all at once. Where could Laura be? Why didn't she meet me at the lake, like she has without fail for five years? Did something happen to her? 

With one strong blast of frigid wind that definitely scared the chickens, Jack launched high into the sky, headed for the last place he knew Laura might be at this time of evening: her house, of course. And if she wasn't there... what would he do?

He would scour the earth until he found her again.

The small house Laura had made her home sat quietly in a neighborhood on the outskirts of town. It was pretty and comfortable, just right for Laura. As he got nearer, Jack could see a light on the porch, and the soft golden glow of light and warmth within. Jack landed silently on her front step, trying to see in the window. But her curtains were drawn, like a cream-colored steel barrier between them.

"Laura!" Jack called, trying to draw her attention. _"Laura!"_

No answer came. Was she ignoring him? Had she stopped believing and couldn't hear him? Tears welled in Jack's eyes. He knelt down and dragged his finger through the snow. With one last look over his shoulder, he called out her name again and took off into the night.

\---

Laura lounged contentedly in her favorite armchair in front of the fireplace, nearly asleep, when she heard something outside her door. _Just an animal..._ she thought, closing her eyes again.

But then she heard the voice. The painfully familiar voice that wrenched her still-beating heart from her chest. Laura clenched her fists as he called. "Laura! _Laura!_ " 

_I'm not going to answer_ , she repeated inside her head, though she could feel her favorite necklace turn cold against her neck. She placed her hand over it. _I can't... Things have changed._

Outside, something moved through the snow. She could hear the barely-audible _schiff, schiff_ as it moved. Laura almost didn't breathe, she was listening so intently. "Laura..." the voice said again, its pained echo through the still, silent night drowned out by a loud gust of wind. Then it was quiet again.

Laura felt so alone. She had abandoned her first love, whose only love was her and only ever had been her, without even an apology or goodbye. And she felt horrible for doing that to him. Knowing he was gone anyway, she still launched out of her chair and flung the door open. Bitter winter air stung her skin, and the night was black. Jack was gone.

"Jack!" Laura cried desperately, wrapping her arms around herself for a little warmth. "Jack, where are you?!" There was no reply. Laura began to cry, tears freezing into ice crystals before they even left her skin. It hurt, but she felt that she deserved the pain. It was nothing compared to what she'd done to Jack.

A man appeared in the doorway and saw her standing in the snow without coat and shoes, crying. He ran to her. "Laura, what are you doing out here like this? You'll freeze!" He began to lead her back inside.

"He's gone..." she whimpered, tears still running down her face. "Jack's gone... I lost him... He's gone..."

The man was confused as he shut the door behind him, plunking her in front of the fire with a blanket around her shoulders. "Honey, what are you talking about? Jack's asleep, like we should be."

"...Jack?" Then name brought up another face, one with blue-green baby eyes and hair as dark as burnt hickory. Her son. This man was her husband. She wasn't Laura Anderson anymore. She was Laura Foster.

\---

Laura knew where she would find Jack. She knew he wanted to be found. After her husband had gone to bed, she snuck back outside. Written in the snow piled in her little garden, Jack had written "You didn't come". Laura scuffed it out before anyone else saw and asked questions, but she knew what she had to do. She had to see him one more time, apologize, and say goodbye.

Then next morning, as she neared the old barn, her heart raced in anticipation and anxiety. How could she tell him that she'd married, had a baby, and didn't love him anymore? No, that was wrong. She still did love him, but she loved her husband more. Laura walked slowly inside, said hello to Dylan, Piglet, and old Trooper. And with a deep breath, she climbed into the hay loft. Memories flooded back to her, but she refused to cry.

He was there, standing right in the center of the loft. His back was turned. Laura was silent, unsure of what to say first. Luckily, Jack spoke before she had the chance to open her mouth. "You didn't come." His voice was hard and flat. Laura stayed quiet. "I waited all day for you. Why didn't you come?"

Laura bit her lip. "Jack... I couldn't come. There... there was something stopping me." It hurt to her the words coming from her own mouth, and she could only imagine the pain inside Jack. But, it needed to be said.

Jack turned to her, nothing but hurt registering on his pale face and in his eyes. "Something was stopping you? Laura, do you know all that I've fought to get to you each year? Night Mares, the other Guardians, even my own common sense that told me every day that we were wrong for each other. But every year, I've come back to you. Every year, you've been waiting for me with a smile that makes every trial more than worthwhile. Something stopped you. Why?"

There were tears forming in the corners of Laura's eyes. She hated seeing Jack like this, falling apart right in front of her, no longer as strong as he always seemed to her. And this time, she couldn't wrap in his arms and promise that everything was alright, because it wasn't. With quaking fingers, Laura reached into her back pocket and pulled two pictures out of her wallet. She handed them, almost ashamedly, over to Jack.

The boy looked down at the photographs in his hand. One of them was of Laura in a long dress as white as freshly-fallen snow, standing next to a man in a black tuxedo with a red rose on the lapel. Black... Jack hated the color. But Laura was smiling and had her hands clasped firmly in the man's, like she never wanted to let go. The second was also of Laura, this time looking lovingly down at a tiny newborn cradled in her arms, swaddled in a blue blanket. She used to only look at Jack like that, with love and a warm smile that would melt his frozen heart, an unspoken promise between them that they would be together as long as she lived. Laura didn't look at him like that now. Where was that promise?

"My husband and son," she whispered.

"You're married?"

"Yes. For almost a year and a half now." Which meant she'd been married the last time Jack had come to see her. It made sense. She had stayed at home longer than usual, always seemed uncomfortable in his arms, and only shared a single kiss with him their whole time together. North had been right. Jack had set himself up for heartbreak, just by innocently falling in love. Where was the innocence now?

He looked down at the picture of the baby again. "What's his name?" he asked quietly.

Laura smirked. "You should know that." When he was still silent, she placed her hand on his shoulder. "His name is Jack. Jack Christopher Foster."

Jack smirked and handed the pictures back. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. It seemed right."

"Thank you."

Laura put the pictures back in her pocket. Things were silent again. "You'll still come back though, right?"

Jack lightly brushed his frigid fingertips across her cheek, sweeping the dark, glossy curls away from her heart-shaped face. Even six years later, Laura was still as beautiful as when they'd met. When Jack looked into her eyes, he still saw the angel skating on the pond in the morning light, the one who dropped her firewood in the snow. A million words, a thousand feelings, a hundred memories, all for this one person.

"Of course I'll keep coming back. Winter still has to come, doesn't it?" He smiled weakly and waved his hand over Laura's necklace. She'd still never taken it off, and the six ice pendants still sparkled like diamonds on her slender neck. Now seven.

Laura looked down and brushed her fingers across it, her cheeks turning pink with blush. "Jack..."

"One for each year I've loved you," he whispered, trying to hide the crack in his voice. "And I'll keep adding them."

She could feel herself about to cry again. "But Jack, I don't understand..." He gently pressed a finger to her lips. Laura stopped talking.

"I know I wasn't the one you chose," he said quietly, "and I'll have to get used to that. But that doesn't mean I have stopped loving you. Maybe you haven't, either. But your heart still sings to mine. My soul is yours and it always will be, in every world. No matter what happens-" His voice cracked, and he took a deep breath. "I need you to remember that I love you."*

Laura bit her lip harshly to keep from crying. She tasted blood. She didn't want him to go. She really did still love him and everything about him. But she loved her husband and their infant son more. Nevertheless, Laura threw her arms around jack's neck and kissed him passionately, tears streaming down her face.

"I still love you too, Jack," she croaked, "and I always will."

Jack hugged her tightly, nuzzling her shoulder. "My Ice Princess... never stop believing. Tell the stories of us and the other Guardians to your son. We'll take care of him."

She smiled. "I promise, Jack. I'll tell the stories to whoever will listen until they get tired of hearing them, and probably longer than that."

They parted with one last, bittersweet kiss.

There was a storm that night.

-FOUR YEARS LATER-

Laura sat in her living room in the summer, folding laundry while her young son played with building blocks on the floor in front of her. The boy looked up, peering at her.

"Mama, did Daddy give you that necklace? You wear it every single day, even when you're sleeping." Laura looked at the necklace, now with two strands of fragile chain that held eleven identical charms. She smiled gently.

"No, sweet. I've had this for a really, really long time."

"Where'd you get it?"

Laura put aside her folding and opened her arms for Jack to crawl into her lap. "Let me tell you the story of my necklace."

As the little boy was cradled in his mother's arms, Laura proceeded to cast a spell over them both. A spell of words that created a story of forests and mountains, magic and snow, and one ordinary girl who met an extraordinary boy. A boy with silver hair and piercing, ice-blue eyes.


End file.
